A/N: Ayo, don't ask why this is so late. Christmas was a journey and I'm currently locked up with potential covid. Anyways, I know some of y'all might skip some of this, that's fine. But for others. You're welcome 💅😘.
Listen to Hozier when reading this chapter.
Enjoy.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psalm 23:2-3
Waking to the sounds of cars was almost surreal after almost a week of cows and faint rustling of the trees. It was almost lethargic to hear the honking of cars outside of their window below.
Nico blinked away the sleep from his eyes as he tried to fight it but his body was waking up much faster than he would have liked. He tried to feign it, listening closely to the soft hum of Will's breathing. Out of everything, Nico was beyond grateful that Will didn't snore. He did, however, whistle every once in a while, but it was enough that he could overlook it. Being such a light sleeper had its curses more than its blessings.
As Nico shuffled, trying to find a more comfortable position to settle himself, his leg twisted in a way he knew would cramp up soon, he felt Will shift beside him. Their legs were intertwined so he was hoping the shifting wouldn't wake him, but it was no use.
Letting out a low hum, Will wrapped his arms around Nico, pulling him closer. Nico was still too tired to fight back so he let him. Will ran his hand lazily though Nico's hair as he huffed a few times. It was obvious he also didn't want to be awake and he was procrastinating getting up just as much as Nico.
"Sorry," Nico said, "did I wake you?" He pushed himself up a bit to peer at Will through hazy eyes. Will's blond curls were tussled in every direction but down. His eyes still weren't fully focused or adjusted to the daylight sneaking through the blinds.
Will let out a hum as he yawned.
"Nah, I should be getting up anyways."
Nico chucked as he settled back down, resting his nose under Will's chin. Will still had his hand intertwined in Nico's hair, almost pulling him down as he rested back.
It was the last day of blind bliss before both him and Will had to figure out what they were going to do once they got back. If they didn't move, they didn't have to focus on the outside world. For the time being, it was just the two of them locked away inside the hotel room. In the morning, they would be on their way back to New York to finish up their senior year. If only time could freeze…
Will tightened his grip on Nico before he huffed and let go.
"We should get up and get ready."
Nico made a noise akin to that of a protest, but he knew Will was right, even if he didn't like it.
Pushing up, Nico rolled out of bed and blindly stumbled towards the bathroom.
"Fuck," he cursed as he stubbed his foot on the door. Will let out a drunken laugh as he threw the blankets off himself.
"Let's see if we can make it to the venue for twelve," Will called out. Nico ran his hand over his face in the mirror, staring at the reflect that stood solemn in return.
"Sure."
"I'll message ma and get the info from her. She's already getting set up so we might be able to meet up with her for a bit." Will's voice paused. "Hey, have you seen my phone charger?"
Nico ran the water and splashed it over his face. It still hadn't warmed up so it shocked him a bit but he quickly adjusted to it. Blinking, he found himself much more awake than he had been seconds ago, at least.
"Is it not in your bag?"
There was a slight pause before "No, I checked twice."
He reached for the towel and dried his face off. When he looked back up, his hair was tossed in every which way. Nico ran a hand through it, fingering at the knocks that formed over night. He knew he should probably cut his hair, but it had become a safety blanket at this point. He knew he could hide behind his bangs if he needed to. Nico made a mental note to get some elastic to put his hair up in. He guessed it was long enough he could get most of it up and out of his face.
"Your hair's a mess," Will said, leaning up against the door frame to the bathroom. Nico hadn't closed the door so he hadn't heard him come over. Nico rolled his eyes.
"You're one to talk."
Will let out a low chuckle as he entered. Nico turned his attention back to the mirror, still picking at his hair. He found a knot he knew was going to bother him until he brushed it out.
"Still no luck?"
"Mhm."
"We can get a new one later, just use mine for now."
Will had come up behind Nico and wrapped his arms around his waist, watching Nico struggle for a little bit, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Having fun?" Nico asked plainly. Will nodded, nudging his nose behind Nico's ear, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath.
"So much," he mumbled, pressing a gentle kiss to Nico's skin. It sent shivers up his spine and he leaned into Will's touch. Nico tried to ignore him, turning his attention back to the knot that was caught up between his fingers, but it was getting hard as Will continued to press on. It was only to the soft skin behind his ear, but it was more than enough to distract him from what he was doing.
"Will," Nico let out a low warning, but he didn't fight it.
Will did stop, however, but he didn't move. "Hm?"
"Don't 'hm' me."
A low chuckle ripped though Will's body, echoing on Nico's chest. He felt the vibrations in his hollow bones. Will pulled back and unwrapped his arms from Nico. He leaned back on the bathroom counter, facing Nico. Nico raised a brow but didn't move. With a small smile, Will rested a hand on Nico's waist and grabbed the comb the settled off to the side. It was supplied by the hotel and was there when they arrived the day before.
Will waited for Nico to take his hands out of his hair but it only turned into a staring contest between the two. It only took an amused eyebrow raise from the blond for Nico to sigh in defeat. Dropped his hands, he gave Will a looked that asked, "are you happy?"
With a lazy smile, Will started to run his fingers though Nico's hair, picking at the knot that he had been toying with earlier.
"You need to cut your hair," he said as he fixed Nico's hair.
"Cut yours."
"Okay," Will laughed. He tugged a little too hard on a knot and Nico winced. "Sorry."
"You did that on purpose." Nico really didn't like people playing with his hair, but just like everything else with Will, he was the only exception.
"Maybe."
"Bitch."
It only took about a minute and a few more choice words from Nico, but they were finished in no time. Will ran his hand through Nico's hair a few times to make sure he was happy with it before setting the comb down. Nico returned the gesture and did the same to Will. He picked at his curls that were still unruly.
"I like your hair long," Nico mumbled, not really saying it to be heard. Will smiled as he pulled his hand away. He tugged at Nico's hand that was still tangled in his own hair and grasped Nico's hand when he got a hold of them. He pulled him in and kissed him once quickly, and then once again, but this time it was deeper.
Nico slipped his hands off Will's and pulled at the hem of his shirt. Will's hands slid up his arms and kept his grip steady. For a second, Nico didn't care they were in a bathroom, he deserved some self indulgence. He trailed his fingers under the hem, just ghosting his hip bones. The touch was a different kind of heat, one that was cold, yet electrifying. It was soothing to the fire that found home in his veins.
But as quick as it came, it left. Will pulled back, that stupid lop-sided smile Nico came to despite with all the love in his heart finding itself on the blond's lips. Nico was met with a quick peck before Will stepped forward.
"Now, go get dressed, I have to pee and I don't think you really want to see that."
"Dork," Nico spoke as he always already on his way out, rolling his eyes.
"Your dork," Will corrected him, earning the finger as Nico went out of sight.
…..
Finding parking at the venue was a miracle and a half by the time they got there. They knew that if worse came to worse, they would just have to shoot Naomi a text and someone would be able to help them out, but when they pulled up, there was just enough spots that they didn't worry about that.
Nico and Will swerved between bodies, ducking in and out of the way to make it to security. All Will had to do was flash his ID and someone was there to get them off the main floor. The pair quickly obtained their backstage passes for the event and made their way.
The venue was alive with bodies and music. Lights and sounds echoed off every surface and there was no place to hide from it. With enough people coming and going, Nico had little worried when Will slipped his hand into his. He knew he was just paranoid due to the last week's events, but he couldn't help it.
It was mostly country music from what Nico could make out, so he could take it or leave it, but when he glanced over to his side, Will looked like he was having a blast. He remembered stories that Will would tell him about his parents' concerts. The way his eyes would light up as if he was looking onto the stage was always mesmerizing. But he was seeing it in person and it was like looking finally into Will's world. At his core, this was who he was: the son of famous musicians, drawn like a moth to the spotlight that shined on them.
They spent some time on the floor, enjoying the live music and the atmosphere of those around them until Naomi had let them know she had some free time.
Slipping out, Will and Nico made their way to the backstage area, flashing their passes to the security guard who let them through. The guard didn't look like they cared all that much, giving them a grunt as they passed by.
"My boys," Naomi called out the moment she spotted them. She opened her arms wide and wrapped both Will and Nico into her grasp. She might have been smaller than the both of them, but that didn't stop her from locking the pair in place. From the way she had reacted to them, one would have guessed they hadn't just spent the past week together.
"Ma," Will spoke, half crushed by the embrace, "we saw you yesterday."
"I know," she said, finally pulling back. She kept her hand on either shoulder and glanced between the two teens. "But can't a mother miss her boys?"
Will rolled his eyes, but there was zero malice behind it.
"When are you on?" Nico asked, only semi-aware of Will's fingers intertwined with his own and Naomi's hand resting on his shoulder. He didn't mind either of their touches, but the noises around him was already taking up most of his sensory allowance. And the hair falling in his face wasn't helping out one bit.
Naomi clicked her tongue and said, "At about eight. There's one more band on after this one and then it's me. Are you staying for the others?"
Nico felt Will pause beside him, knowing that the rest of the day really laid on him and what he wanted to do.
"Probably. Not a big fan of this type of music, but it shouldn't hurt." Nico flashed a reassuring smile, trying to block out the jumble of noises behind him. If he focused on Will's heat, he could probably manage just fine.
"Oh, good. If you need anything, please let me or one of the security guards know, especially if it gets too loud." The wink she sent Nico at the end made his stomach flip inside out. As much as he wished he didn't feel a little bit of shame from her pointing out his sensory issues, it was still nice to know she cared. And she didn't stay on the topic too long as she added, "And don't bother with the over-priced venue food. Come back here for water and such, y'here?"
"Damn" Will said, "there goes my plans for over-priced hotdogs for lunch."
"Another time," Naomi added, her smile that reminded Nico so much of Will effortlessly appearing. "Now, I have to get goin' because I can see them waving me down and if I don't leave, someone is going to have a heyday. Love you boys lots and I'll see you as soon as I can."
With a wave of her head, she was off.
The two of them bummed around for a bit, checking out the merch area before petering back into the crowd. With everything going on, Nico was getting a bit frustrated when his hair would fall in front of his eyes just enough it obscured his view. Even when he tried to shake his head or push it back, it just fell right back.
"Fuck," he cursed, not loud enough to be fully heard above the music, but enough to get Will's attention.
"What?" he shouted back.
Nico shook his head and grabbed Will's wrist. The blond shot him a confused look as he watched Nico slide the elastic band he had stolen from his mother's house the day prior. Sliding it over his own wrist, Nico pulled all his hair back and with a few twists, had as much hair as he could manage to fit into a messy bun as he could. Most of the back hair wasn't long enough to catch, so it still hugged his neck, but most of the top stayed, aside from the stay hairs that still fell. At least this time it wasn't as much as an issue as it had been before.
"I like your hair like that," Will said, his voice loud over the music.
Nico bit his lip and turned away, taking Will's hand back into his own.
"Don't get used to it."
Will let out a hum that Nico more felt than heard.
"Sure, sure."
…
The hours seemed to slip away as one song led into the next. While Nico really didn't care for most of the music, it still was awe-inspiring. He had gone to shows and concerts before, seen local bands in random people's basement a few times when Piper or Thalia would drag him along, but it had been so much at once and then that moment…
It was always a sight he couldn't forget. Being one body in a crowd of probably thousands was a rush. He could feel the energy, the power in every word the crowd screamed back. Even though he didn't know what was being play, everyone around him did. Even Will.
Groups of friends and couples, individuals – all of them shouted the lyrics with their own stories and reasonings behind them. The writer might have meant one thing, but each person here had their own meaning for the lyrics. It was something Nico loved about music. It was poetry and it impacted people different. A song about heartbreak and loss might be the song of empowerment to someone. One word and suddenly it could be the lyric that saves someone.
Even through the differences of genres, Nico understood. How could he not? This was what music was about. This was why people created. It was a yearning pull that tugged at Nico's chest. He had been around so many musicians in his life, and even still, it never ceased to amaze him. He thought, for a second, maybe he could create, but it was over before it had even started.
It was Will that had to drag him away to get refreshments. For someone who hated country, Nico couldn't help but want to go back. He was so lost in the sound he forgot why he even despised it in the first place. Maybe it wasn't all country, but it was most.
Will had grabbed a water bottle from one of the assistants and handed it Nico who protested at first but downed it the moment it touched his lips.
"Having fun?" Will asked, a smirk playfully pulling at his lips.
Nico made a noise in the back of his throat as he struggled balancing water and air. He let out a big gasp as he crushed the water bottle, finishing it off aside from the stray drops that stayed behind.
"Better than I was expecting."
Will chuckled as he let his gaze drift to just behind Nico. Nico thought about turning back and checking out what had his boyfriend's attention, but he could guess it was nostalgia and old memories from his childhood when his parents toured. He couldn't blame him on bit for it.
"Are you having fun?" Nico asked, leaning on the wall to stay out of the way.
Will gave a shrug but Nico could easily see past it.
"It's been a while since I've been back to something like this," Will told him, flicking his eyes back to Nico. Nico gave him a soft smile and Will returned it, twice as bright, like he always did.
"Do you miss this?" Nico already knew the answer, he just wanted to see how Will would react to it.
With a deep sigh, Will said, "Dearly. I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt to be back here. But it's kinda funny, I suppose."
"Yeah?"
Will nodded. "Yeah. While it's been a long time, it also feels like no time has passed as all. Weird how that works."
Nico nodded, not saying much. He could read Will like an open book most of the times, but sometimes the book was written in a language he didn't know. He could see it, but never fully understand it. With an educated guess, he could get the gist, but still…
"This was my dream once."
Nico furrowed his brows but remained silent.
"Being out there," Will said, his eyes distant yet so near, "I dreamed about being just like my parents. But sometimes dreams are just dreams, y'know? I wish I could do more, but it's like teaching an elephant to ice skate. While you could get them to the point of gliding, their weight would crack the ice and drown them. I'm content, I really am, but childhood dreams sometime stay just that."
"Yeah, not always possible," Nico agreed. He watched Will's eyes glisten in the dismal lighting, but it was still like watching fireworks over the ocean waves.
"I mean, say's the man who wanted to be a pirate."
"Hey," Nico called out, "I told you that in the privacy of two-am confessions. You cannot legally use that against me."
Will laughed, but this time it felt a bit more genuine.
"My lips are sealed, captain."
Nico huffed and turned on his heel, knowing that Will would understand his theatrics and follow. And he did just that, slipping his hands in Nico's as he caught up with him, smiling the entire time as they headed back out to the floor to catch the last bit of the final act before Naomi stepped on.
….
When Naomi Solace stepped on stage, there were only two people in that show: you and her. She could make you forget about every short coming about yourself and shift you into a time and place that was completely separate from the outside world. It was truly a moment of starstruck.
Nico had seen both Lester and Naomi live and he could say without a doubt that they were truly a force to be reckoned with in their prime. Even being years out, it was like they never missed a beat. He could see why Will's birth was a huge deal in the music scene. And he could also see why Will almost took it too personally for his lack of musical talent, at least to their level.
He could keep a tune and beat but give him anymore and he would fall flat compared to the average person.
But here Naomi stood, in all her own glory and talent, and Nico knew he would be smitten if it wasn't for the single fact that he knew her personally. It's one thing to develop a para-social relationship with a celebrity and its another to know what they look like in their personal off time. If he blinked, he could see her as Will's mother, but if he lost sight of it, there she was, a powerhouse of a voice and a stage presence to rival any politician on her worst day.
Nico came by his distaste of country music far too honestly. If you asked him if there were any country songs he actively listened to, the list could be counted on his one hand and half would probably be Dolly Parton because of his sister, Bianca. Had he heard Naomi's music before? Yes. Did he actively listen to it? God, no.
But even so, standing there, among the crowd of probably thousands, this would be a moment he would remember in slow-motion; he would see this in screenshots. Nico wasn't sure how, but this very moment had shifted something in him. Not enough for it to be out of place, but just enough that another hit would send a shockwave to launch an avalanche. He couldn't pinpoint it, but he felt like crying.
And when he looked over at Will, he could tell his boyfriend was going through a similar wave. A boy who had spend his whole life backstage and behind the lines of these shows was now experiencing it just like every other fan. This was beyond his mother's job; this was his dream he could never reach. So close he could step out, but never enough to hold it firm.
But even with everything being salt in an old and unhealing wound, there was something stronger there that nothing could squash. Will, without a doubt, would stand a man alone in a crowd looking up before he drowned in his own self-pity.
Looking over, Nico knew this was more than a memory of a concert, this was a starting point, a jump-up. If he could break his life up in parts, he couldn't explain it but this was the closing chapter into a whole new book. Even if things carried over, it didn't seem to really matter.
While he knew this was a turning point, Nico also knew that no matter what, he wanted to see Will happy. He couldn't explain the tug at his chest when he saw the look that was reserved for only when Will was alone with himself, but if Nico was allowed only glimpses, he would take it. And he would do everything in his power to keep that there.
He didn't care how many fights and disagreements they would go through, to see Will just how he is now, Nico would live this life a million times over for the chance. He knew it was dumb and he was young, but he couldn't help it. Maybe he and Will wouldn't last, maybe they wouldn't make it to graduation, but if there was even the slimmest of chances, a minute possibility, he would jump headfirst in to make sure he could say he at least tried. And for Will, he wouldn't have it any other way.
And Nico wasn't a quitter.
…..
Even when the lights came up and auto piolet kicked in as they headed backstage, Nico still couldn't fully grasp that the concert was over. His skin was still vibrating from the stereo system, all the hair on his body was standing on end. He swore electricity was surging throughout his entire body.
It was in flashes, but he saw Naomi speaking with someone before she spotted them. Heading over, she embraced Will in the tightest hug she could. Nico could tell he wasn't the only one running off adrenaline. Her face was red, but bright, her eyes glistened in the backstage lighting.
"You were amazing, mom," Will said, breathless from the hug.
"Aw, thanks. It was just amazing to be out there again. I had almost forgot'n why I even did this." Her smiled mirrored Will's almost identically. Not a single soul would be confused about him being her son.
She reached her arm out and waved it around before Nico understood that she was motioning for him to come closer to join the hug. Without missing a beat, he did so. He knew he wasn't going to see for a while after this trip and he was already starting to miss her. Any chance he got he was going to take.
"Knowin' you boys were out there made all the difference," she said, tightening her hug until Will managed to break free. She pulled back, looking between both boys. "As much as I wish I could keep you boys here, I know you have to get goin'. And if I stay here, someone in all black is gonna start yellin' at me."
"Don't want you to get in trouble."
"No," she smiled, shaking her head, "we do not want that."
Just as she had said, someone had called over to her, saying something about her needing to be out in a few minutes for some backstage thing with fans. She gave them a thumbs up.
"Don't want to keep your adoring fans waiting," Will said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. She tapped the back of his head, earning a yelp from the blond. "Hey!"
"I love you kid, but what ever will I do with you?"
"Ship me back off to dad?"
"Boy…"
Will raised his hands in defense, but Naomi only muttered under her breath.
"I swear to god, William."
"I love you," he said, smiling.
"Best be glad I love you more than anything in this world." She flicked her finger around a bit. "Now, get going before I change my mind. Love you, Nico. I don't know how you put up with that son of mine."
Nico couldn't help but snicker. "Neither do I sometimes."
"Bye, mom," Will cut in, rolling his eyes and taking Nico's hand. He started to lead them towards the exit.
"Bye, Naomi," Nico managed to call out just as they rounded a corner. The last thing he saw was her smiling, lips turned up ear-to-ear.
"I like your mom," Nico told Will who was still huffing.
"She's pretty great," Will said, "when she's not getting after me."
"You do it to yourself, you know that, right?"
"Yeah, and what about it?"
Nico couldn't argue, so all he did was grip Will's hand tighter.
God, did he ever love that boy.
….
Will hadn't realised how late it actually was by the time they got out of the parking lot. As much as he wanted to just go back to the hotel, his phone was on its last legs from needing to steal Nico's charger in the morning. Even if it was a crappy one, he just needed it to last the night and then they would be back in New York. Just one night is all he needed.
Nico suggested either a pharmacy or 7-11, something that would have to be open late. Will didn't care, so he drove until he found the first one on the list.
He was pretty sure it was a Walgreens he pulled up to. All he saw was the sign that said, "Open till Midnight" and he was happy. Will told Nico he was just running in to grab a charger, but Nico waved his hands.
"I don't wanna keep sitting."
Will thought it was some lame excuse, but he wasn't going to fight it because he knew how antsy he got after concerts. All he did was shrug and turn off the engine. He thought Nico probably wanted to get something to snack on or something so waved it off.
Will made a B-line to the electronics as soon as he could. He wasn't picky, but apparently other people were. When he got to the isle, it had been mostly picked clean. He wanted something quick and cheep, but apparently so had everyone else.
He spent a few minutes skimming through what was left, seeing what would match his phone. It was a bit frustrating, but he managed to find a universal charger he assumed would work. He gave it a once over, skimming the back to double check. As soon as it passed his five second inspection, he gave a shallow nod and headed to the cash.
Will spend a few seconds looking around for Nico, half expecting him to pop up beside him with a bag of chips or something, but when he didn't show, he got curious. After looking down the isles as he passed by, he just gave a shrug and headed to the nearest cash.
It was late so there was only one lane open and the lady looked half asleep. Will almost felt bad bothering her but he put his charger on the table and skimmed the grab-and-go section. He fought between two chocolate bars before settling on getting both plus a bottle of Coke.
As he set them down, he spotted Nico appear beside him. He didn't have anything in his hands but he was tapping his hipbone with the ball of his hand. He looked like he was stilled wired from the concert.
"Find anything?" Will asked.
Nico shook his head a few times.
"Couldn't find what I wanted."
Will nodded and turned his attention back to the cashier who was finishing up ringing him through. He saw her eye Nico who was looking around with a wondering eye. Will thought that maybe she thought Nico was cute as she did appear to be close to their age. And he couldn't blame her.
"Want a Coke?"
"Huh?"
Will pointed to the small refrigerator near the chocolate bars.
"Oh, uh, yeah, sure."
Will nodded and grabbed another one. He wasn't sure what Nico was looking for, but he didn't want him going back empty handed.
Nico had his hand tight around the strap of his backpack, the other one still tapping at a rhythmic tempo.
"You good?"
"Yeah, just still wired from the concert, I guess."
Will nodded and flashed the card he was holding when the cashier asked for his method of payment. He quickly finished up and grabbed the receipt. Nico scooted past him and grabbed the bag and darted towards the car. Will also couldn't wait to get back to the hotel.
The rest of the drive was mindless idle chitchat. It was clear neither of their minds were in it as they were still wound up from the night's events. Will didn't mind, it was late and the radio was enough to keep his attention until they got back to the hotel.
When they parked, there were no stops, they just headed straight up to their hotel room.
Nico had dropped his bag off to the side and set the shopping bag on the counter next to the microwave.
Will shrugged off his jacket and threw it over the chair, not really caring. They didn't have much to pack up in the morning, so he didn't care if they made a little mess with their clothes.
"That was a really good idea," Will said, smiling as he watched Nico putt around the room. He jumped a little at the sound of Will's voice, but turned around and smiled back.
"I told you it was."
Nodding, Will said, "It was. I'm glad you suggested."
"I mean, your mother is an amazing performer. Like, I don't really like country. I don't listen to it on my own, obviously, but what I do listen to is whatever Bianca puts on. Did you know she listens to country? Surprised me. Dad doesn't, though, but that isn't surprising. Mom on the other hand, I think she likes older music, so if it's an older country song, maybe, but nothing modern.
"Bianca really likes Taylor Swift, but I don't know if that still counts as country-"
"Breathe."
Nico stopped and blinked a few times.
"What?"
"You're rambling," Will pointed out.
Nico turned his head in the way he did when he was embarrassed and wanted to hide a blush. The room wasn't that well lit, so with some distance Will wouldn't have been able to really tell.
"Sorry," he mumbled, tabbing his hipbone. "Guess I'm still wound up from the show."
"I can tell." Will kicked off from where he was standing and made his way over to Nico. He took his hands in his own, stopping him from continuing the pattern he was doing. "Let's get ready for bed. That might help."
Nico let out a soft sigh. "Yeah."
"Good." Will pressed a soft kiss to hip lips before headed off to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Once he was done, Nico slipped past him to do the same.
Will was rummaging through his suitcase when Nico came out. Will smiled when he noticed Nico still had his hair up. There were way more loose hairs now, but it still majority stayed up and out of his face. Will loved Nico's long hair, but he always thought it made him look a little young. With it out of the way, he looked more his age. Even if they were technically adults, it still felt weird to think about it.
"Quiet night after all that sounds like heaven," Will offhandedly said, standing up and stretching his legs out. He was pretty sure everything was in order for the morning but he would double check before they left anyways.
Nico let out a huff of air with a nod in agreement.
Will started to go through the bag, grabbing the box with the charger in it. He was toying with the sticker that was keeping it closed when he felt Nico slide his arms around his waist, pressing up against his back. Will stopped what he was doing and smiled. Even with their height difference, it was just enough that it wasn't awkward.
The heat against his back was nice and welcomed. He set the box down when he felt Nico's lips press the back of his neck, sending a wave of heat straight to his groin. Will bit his tongue, knowing he couldn't indulge in it but it was nice, even if it was just for a moment.
Nico's hands slithered up his abdomen, fingers gripping at his shirt. Will lolled his head to one side to allow Nico more access which he took advantage of nice and well. Will felt his breath hitch when his skin was met with teeth gently scraping against it. He brought one hand up to Nico's, holding it on his midriff, and the other came up to try and rest on his head. He managed to get a small handful of loose hair.
Will let out a curse, muffled by the bite he had on his lower lip. He ripped Nico's hands off of him and turned around as soon as he felt the pressure of a hickey forming. He wasn't against it, he just needed some control.
Nico looked almost like a deer in the headlights when Will turned around, his hands frozen where they were. But Will didn't care, he just needed to have control on this situation, hands on or off.
Before Nico could say anything, Will stepped forward and took Nico's lip in his own. If Will had a list of his favourite things, kissing Nico was easily at the top of it. If he could just spend hours with their bodies pressed against one another just like this, he would live the rest of his days out knowing he was truly happy.
The kiss didn't take Nico by too much surprise. He gripped Will's shirt again, pulling closer. Will didn't protest when their bodies were pressed up together, what he was upset about was that they were still standing.
Almost like he was reading his mind, Nico started to step backwards, dragging Will with him. When they reached the side of the bed, Will knew he had to leave it all up to Nico on what he wanted to do. So, when Nico's hands slipped up under his shirt, Will was happy to raise his arms and shake it off. By the time it was on the floor, Nico already had one foot on the bed, almost urging Will to follow. And that he did.
As Nico leaned back, Will pressed forward to meet him each step of the way. He wanted his lips back on Nico, even if it was going to kill him. He might not be able to get enough to sooth the heat forming in his pants, but he was willing to get as much as he was allowed.
It was a dance: Nico would lean back and Will was right there to follow. Will would chase the heat of Nico's breath like his life depended on it, and like a lion in a cage, he was so close to this freedom that Nico could offer him, but it was just out of reach. He wouldn't starve, he refused to, so he pressed forward until their lips met again.
This was hungry, desperate. They weren't speaking words, but their lips moved like an argument about survival. Hands were pressed up and grasping at anything they could. Will's body was heating up with every "almost" and the next "maybes" and the ever sacred "possible." It was a blessing and curse to be this close, but Icarus had to fly high to avoid the rocks and waves below, and Will wasn't afraid of the sun.
Every touch and soft moan were adding to his ever-present problem growing in his pants, but he could make do. He told Nico it wouldn't be a problem, even if it was killing him with need.
As much as he was getting, Will needed more. He ran his hands up Nico's shirt. He needed to touch, to feel. Every trail he made up his stomach was proof this was real. The low whine that escaped Nico's closed mouth was music in this moment.
Will was seconds away from ripping off his shirt before Nico beat him to it. He pulled it over his head, it only getting stuck for a split second. As much as Will wanted to help, he was selfish and the sight was much better than being involved. God, Will could feel how far gone and desperate he was that even the sight of Nico taking his own shirt off was enough to send him into a hormone-raged spiral.
He needed to remind himself to slow down, that he couldn't take this too far. A cold shower was looking mighty fine at that moment.
The fabric had barely hit the floor before they were skin to skin. Nico had grabbed Will by his neck and pulled him down, pushing their lips together in a messy and desperate kiss that neither cared about. It was a solid ten seconds before Will pulled away. Both panting as they tried catch their breath, but it was mostly to waste as Nico's breath got caught in his throat when Will trailed his tongue along his chest.
Will couldn't care less about the taste of sweat. He would blame all his actions on his hormones later, but in the moment, it was the sweetest taste. As he worked on an area of Nico's collar bone, determined to turn it blue, he had to fight back the urge to sink his teeth into his skin as he felt nails clawing at his back, digging in and making marks that would be there for easily the next few days.
When he was satisfied with his work, he ran his tongue up his throat, his breath ghosting the wet skin. He could feel Nico shutter beneath his touch. It was beyond intoxicating and Will wanted to get absolutely wasted that night.
As Will worked his way up his neck, leaving marks in tiny bruises, Nico's breathing grew heavy. Skin on skin was increasing the burning heat that was igniting, leaving both fumbling for their own sanity.
Nico ran his fingers through Will's hair, pulling at each nip the blond made to his skin. Even though it had stung a few times, all he could do was smile as the burn. Will was making sure he as staying within the boundaries, but all he wanted was to touch him in every which way. To hear his voice cut out, to hear the pleading on his tongue. He would give time, but even the image he had created was almost enough to get him going to his limits.
Will broke away when a whine escaped Nico's lips, taking in the disheveled man below him. To him, it didn't matter what he looked like, he was always gorgeous, but in that moment, sprawled out below him, eyes hooded with bliss, he was breathtaking. He leaned down and took Nico's lips in his own. He needed to kiss him just to kiss him.
Cold showers every day didn't seem so bad when Will took into account all of this. Just being with Nico in the simplest of ways was more than enough to satisfy him.
Will ran his hand up Nico's side, tracing the curve of his body like it was a masterpiece, a sculpture on display in the museum. He had a "no touching" sign hung up but Will didn't care, he wanted to be apart of history. Under his touch, he felt Nico's back start to lift off the bed, pushing his chest closer to his own. All he could do was smile into the kiss and pray this never ended.
Nico trialed his nails down Will's back, leaving tiny drag marks as he rested it on Will's chest. Will fought the urge to let out a string of curse words when Nico's nails once again latched onto his skin. It hurt, yes, but it was a nice distraction from the pain he was feeling elsewhere.
Nico pulled away from the kiss, a smile breaking out on his lips.
"What?" Will asked, but he couldn't help but smile back. When no response came back other than soft giggles, Will asked once more, resting his forehead on Nico's.
"Nothing," Nico said, but Will wasn't buying it.
"What?"
"Nothing!"
Will rolled his eyes and pressed a quick kiss to Nico's gently parted lips.
"I love you," he whispered. Even though they were the only two people in the room, he didn't want the off chance of anyone else hearing it. Those words with that meaning were reserved only for his ears.
Nico didn't respond, instead he kissed him back, pushing against Will until the blond allowed him to do what he wanted. One push turned into a pull and they switched positions. Will wasn't complaining as he rested his weight behind him on his elbows.
Nico was straddling his hips, covered in tiny hickeys that were starting to properly form. His chest was heavy in its rise and fall, his lips slightly parted. Nico ran a hand over his face and up into his hair. With one hand, he pulled the hair elastic from his hair. Will thought he was going to lose all breath by the sight. If he thought Nico was hot before, he hadn't been privy to this image. He would give up everything to see Nico do that again.
"I love you," he said again.
Nico rolled his eyes and leaned forward, taking Will's jaw in his hand and pushing his head up. "Shut up, Solace." He pressed his lips to Will's, quickly deepening the kiss. It wasn't long until Nico was asking for permission for Will to open his mouth with his tongue; Will wasn't going to protest for a second as he complied.
The kiss was messy but it was a need both of them were trying to fill. And it was enough to keep Will partially distracted from the weight now gathered just over his crotch. The slightest jilt was causing his entire body to want to give out. He caught a few moans leave his own lips.
Nico started to trail Will's chest with his hand, no longer using nails as he made his way up and down. Will was partially thankful for that as he cupped the side of Nico's face with his one free hand, the other one still holding himself up.
At first, Will was enjoying touches, each a direct circuit to his crotch, but as Nico's hands got lower and lower, he started to worry. And it was the feeling of his jeans being pulled that caused him to push away.
"Wait," Will said, breathless. He was barely audible, but it was just enough that he was heard.
"What?" Nico asked, but it was a little skittish. Will waited a second for the fog in his mind to clear, but when he finally did, he saw Nico biting at his lip.
"Slow down, I think we should…"
"'Should…?'"
"We should stop, I don't want to rush things. I said I'm perfectly okay with waiting."
"But I didn't say no."
That caught Will's attention. He blinked a few times, trying to piece together what Nico had said. He was right, he hadn't said no. But Will was sure this was right where he would start to.
It was his turn to ask, "What?"
"I didn't say no," he repeated, but this time with more confidence.
"Nico, are you sure? Because just yesterday-"
"I know what I said, and I still stand by it. I want this."
"We can wait – I can wait. I just don't want you rushing into this, especially after this week."
"I know, I know," Nico said, sitting back on the bed, allowing for Will to properly sit up, "I just feel like I want to try."
"Are – are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"If you don't want to though-"
"A yes is a yes until it isn't, right?" he asked, waiting for Will to respond. Will shifted into a better sitting position, both of them properly facing one another. He nodded. "I trust you to stop if I say to."
"Of course."
"So, I want to try."
Will bit his lip. As much as he wanted this, as much as he had been dreaming about this moment and those words leaving his lips, Will had some concerns. He didn't want Nico to push himself to do this and end up regretting it.
Will knew he had more experience in this department, and for some reason, he was looking for any excuse he could find to get Nico to reconsider. It wasn't that he didn't want to, it was that given the chance, he didn't know if he could hold back.
"Okay," Will said slowly, nodding. "It's just that…"
"What?"
Will licked his lips. "I don't have anything with me for, y'know."
Nico fiddled with bedsheets for a second before he crawled off the bed. Will watched with a perplexed expression plastered all over his face.
Nico grabbed his backpack he had been using that week and unzipped it. He pulled out a plastic bag and tossed it onto the bed. He didn't make an effort to unpack it, so Will grabbed it instead. When he looked inside, he let out a sharp breath. A pack of condoms and a bottle of lube. He looked back up to Nico and cocked a brow. He was both parts confused and impressed.
"I got it just in case."
"Just in case…?"
Nico sighed and headed back over to the bed, sitting back down where he had been. It wasn't the smoothest, but he settled down in front of Will, not touching the items. Will still didn't speak, he just watched Nico. When nothing came, Nico rolled his eyes.
"I'm not dumb, I've done research."
"I wasn't saying you were."
"Yeah, but…"
"I just want you to know what you're asking for."
"I know… and I want it."
"We don't have to go all the way, y'know?"
Nodding, Nico said, "I know." He motioned to the items. "'Just in case.'"
"'Just in case,'" Will repeated, also nodding.
Will hadn't noticed Nico shifting until he felt a gentle hand on his cheek. He looked up and met the endless brown eyes he fell in love with. If he had any more retorts, they all got lost on his tongue.
"I will tell you if I want to stop."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
There was a silent beat before Will slid his hand behind Nico's head and pulled him in for a kiss. It wasn't deep, but it was reassuring. It was their way of communication without words. Will knew his debate of not yet's and almost's wouldn't work anymore, and this was Nico's way of telling him.
Will should have been excited, but he was terrified. He shouldn't be, but he was. Maybe it was because they had been avoiding this exact thing for so long, he had hyped it up to fantasy, and now that it was in genuine reach, all he had was the possibility of it going bad that stressed him out.
First times aren't always good, he tried to tell himself, but it wasn't helping. This wasn't his first time he would be ruining, this would be Nico's. In every rundown, he had been thinking about how good it would feel, but this was too close for comfort. Now he was scared he was going to chicken out. Even with his situation still standing, he genuinely thought about telling him no.
"You will tell me no, right?"
"Yes."
"Even if you think it would-"
"Will," Nico cut him off, "right now it is a yes. And I mean yes. Yes, I want this."
"Okay."
"Okay."
Will wasn't sure where to go from there. He knew this was all landing in his hands. He knew Nico had only theoretically knowledge at best, so he was leading the charge. He had said yes, so this was a yes.
Nico had given him permission. He should be ecstatic. But he was really, absolutely, indescribably lost.
Nodding, he grabbed the pack of condoms and lube and placed them on the nightstand. As much as he wanted to use them, he had no clue if Nico was ready mentally or physically for that. Theory can only get someone so far until they're faced with the real thing. For the time being, it was out of sight and out of mind.
With absolutely no idea how to get from part A to part B from the frozen standstill they were at, Will took Nico's cheek in his hand and pulled him close once again. He pressed a kiss gently to his lips, one – two at a time. He needed to warm his way up to this so that Nico wouldn't freak out, and if he did, time to react and adjust.
Soft kisses turned into something deeper as fingers started to linger over skin. Will traced Nico's jaw with his lips, earning soft sighs from his boyfriend. Will was getting into the rhythm of it, using his lips and fingers to guild him to what he needed Nico to do. Nico was more than willing to follow his wordless instructions, moving when he needed to.
Will had twisted their positions again, leading Nico onto his back. For this to go even remotely well, Will knew he needed control and having Nico lay down would allow for that the best. Maybe down the road Nico would take control, but for now this would work.
Will trailed his lips along his jaw, down his neck, and across his collarbone. Nico had his hand running though Will's hair, gently pulling when Will would graze his skin with his teeth. Will could tell he was getting the right reactions from him. His nerves started to calm down and he just let his body do the rest.
Will pulled back a bit, resting his weight on one hand as the other settled at Nico's jeans. He paused, waiting to see if Nico would give any indication for him to stop. When nothing came, he slowly began to pull at his fly. They were fully unzippered when Will asked, "Is this okay?"
There was a pause before Nico nodded.
…..
"Yes," Nico said, his voice calmer than he expected it to be. He had been mentally freaking out and it was everything he could do to just calm it.
He wanted this. He wanted this very badly. And for the first time his mind wasn't screaming for him to stop. It was more silent than anything else. It still panicked, but not from wanting it to stop. It was desperation, nerves, and pure excitement for what was to come.
Nico knew if he didn't have the grip on Will's hair to route himself, he would be shaking. He couldn't help it, he had never done this. The last thing he needed was for Will to think they needed to stop for any reason. And he had said that they would go slow, so there was no pressure to not go all the way.
Even with the reassurance to stop if he needed to, there was that anxiety he couldn't seem to get to leave. He got this, he knew, but it was still scary. Watching porn can only prepare you so far before you realise how nerve racking the real thing could be.
All he had to do was breathe and everything would fall into place. He knew Will was going to try his best, so he had to let him take control. It was the least he could do.
Will's fingers rimmed the top of Nico's jeans before slipping inside to pull. His knuckles grazed his skin and it was enough to send his stomach into flips.
"Lift your hips," Will told him, and he did just so. He took his hands out of Will's hair and arched his lower back off the bed. It was by no means sexy but he was sure they were far past that need. If how he took off his pants was the final straw, then something else was majorly wrong.
As nervous and awkward he felt, it was reassuring to watch Will also struggle. Will's hands were starting to shake and Nico was pretty sure he hadn't noticed. When the jeans got caught halfway off, Will let out a nervous laugh that caused Nico to follow. Even though they had been dating for almost a year, Nico loved how shy Will still acted sometimes. The same man who held a gun up to the guy threatening Nico's life was the same man who was so nervous about having sex with his boyfriend for the first time he can barely keep it together when his pants got stuck. Nico wanted to pull him down and kiss him silly.
Nico flailed his legs a bit to kick them off, managing to succeed. The two were having too much fun doing so.
After their laughter died down and they could look at one another without bursting out with laughter, Will leaned down and pressed a kiss gently to Nico's lips. When they pulled apart, Nico was becoming painfully aware just how bare he was. He still had his underwear on, but it still felt exposing – even if Will had seen him in his boxer's multiple times.
As if Will had picked up on it, he leaned back on his feet and started to undo his own belt.
Nico couldn't help but stare. It was almost hypnotizing watching it happen. Will's hands were becoming steady again as he pulled it out of the beltloops in mere seconds. Nico let out a shaky breath that was not doing anything to help his situation. If Will even glanced down…
Will was a lot smoother removing his pants. And within seconds, the laughter and awkwardness of not knowing where to go died away. Nico was in awe of Will, even if this was nothing new.
When Will tossed his pants onto the floor, earning a soft thud from the material hitting the wall then the carpet, Nico sucked in a breath. Leaning down, Nico was more than happy to meet Will's kiss.
It was exactly what he needed for his nerves to dissipate.
Even though he felt bare and exposed, for the first time in his life he didn't mind. The hands on him where of care and love, there was no malice behind every touch and it was euphoric. Nico wished he could have pinpointed why before he felt so disconnected from his own body that any touch was foreign, but it was no longer a poison that infected his very skin.
He wanted to drown in every touch, and when Will started to grip his thigh, even though the thought of running crossed his mind, it was only in the background. He could think over top of his voice, no longer screaming like it had been before. He didn't hate it, he wanted more.
Nico had even caught himself off guard by how his own body was reacting to every touch. As Will's hand moved up, he felt his hips moving to reach him. It was almost embarrassing. Even overtop of clothing, he still felt his breath hitch as Will's hand grazed over his crotch. He was painfully aware of his situation, but he knew he wasn't the only one.
As Will's fingers danced around the rim, pulling it down to expose a bit more of his midriff, there was a pause. Will pulled his lips away just enough to say, "Yes or no?"
"Yes," Nico breathed out without a second of hesitation.
Nico swore he had Will's touch memorized as he dipped below the waistband. His hips buckled up the moment he felt Will's hand graze even just the top. His own hand was one thing, but this was an out of body experience. Nico knew he could fantasize about this all he wanted, but the real thing had him feeling like he was living a dream.
Nico wasn't even fully aware of the whine that had escaped his lips as Will wrapped his hand around his length until he heard Will's voice in his ear. "I know, you're okay." He placed a kiss behind his ear as he started to move his hand up and down, slowly at first, but picking up speed.
Nico was a mess. He couldn't form a coherent thought. All he knew was that this was the best feeling in the world. Everything could be falling apart around him and he couldn't care less.
Nails scrapped along Will's back, earning Nico Will's teeth scrapping across his skin. He knew he shouldn't be this far gone from a simple handjob, but it was like he had been waiting all his life for it. Nico couldn't get enough of the contact. He craved Will's touch to no end, and it was not going away any time soon.
Will flicked his thumb over the tip and Nico felt his back arch up and off the bed. He needed more; he was so close he could feel it. And by the way Will was smiling against his skin, he could tell that he knew that also.
"Please," he moaned, doing anything and every he could to get more from Will, but it was just then that Will had pulled away. Nico wanted to protest but was quickly shut down by Will slowly working down his body until he got to his hips. Will pulled down his underwear a bit more and started to press his lips to his hips, finishing up with running his tongue along.
"Yes or no?" he asked, pulling up just enough to make eye contact. The hunger in Will's eyes was enough to send Nico over the edge. He could barely form any words, so Nico nodded, biting his lip to hold back the groan that was building. He felt so uncomfortably and he needed it to be dealt with. Will took that as it was and pushed the rest of Nico's underwear down.
Nico lifted his hips and it went a lot smoother than earlier. One minute Nico was begging for Will to hurry up and the next he was praying for time to stop. His entire body felt electric as Will took him in his mouth. If he thought he was close before, he was only inches away from the edge. Nico knew it wouldn't be the worst thing to finish this quickly, but he had just started and he wanted it to at least enjoy it a little longer.
But Will wasn't making it easier as he managed to take him in one go. His hands flew to Will's hair, gripping. He needed something to hold and it was all he could do. Underneath his boyfriend, Nico was helpless. He could only sputter out nonsense.
"Will," he moaned as Will sent a low moan rumbling though his whole body. A part of Nico wondered why he had waited this long. If they could have been doing this a lot sooner, why wasn't he? It seemed silly in hindsight, but he was grateful he hadn't forced it. At any point he could stop and for that he was grateful. He didn't want to use it, but it was that comfort that made this ten times better.
A flick of Will's tongue and Nico swore he had seconds. It was like he had never came before when he finally lost it. The burning sensation in his stomach was everywhere and suddenly he felt wasted. He thrusted up into Will's mouth but he wasn't pushed away. It was exhilarating in the moment and he had sworn he couldn't see for a few seconds after.
Once he had finished riding out the wave of pleasure that had over come him, Nico felt his body go slack. His chest was pounding hard and his breathing was fast. He felt like he had just run a marathon. As he laid there, Will moved back up. Nico knew against it but he grabbed Will's jaw and pulled him in for a kiss. The taste was horrendous, but he couldn't care less. If Will had done that, the last thing he could do was kiss him back.
Even though he had his own problem well taken care of, he felt bad that Will's still hadn't. As he reached a hand down, wanting to return the favour, Will grabbed it.
"Let me," he said, his voice cracking.
Shaking his head, Will said, "No. Not this time."
"Please?"
Will leaned down and kissed him.
"We're not pushing it."
"I want to."
"Nico."
"Will," Nico said sternly. "You just had my dick in your mouth and now you're throwing a fit about me wanting to jack you off? Really?"
Will bit his lip and sat back a bit. Nico followed him and hoisted his exhausted body off the bed with his hands.
"I want you to be fully ready," he tried to say but Nico just rolled his eyes.
"I literally just told you I wanted you to basically fuck me and this is where you think I'd draw the line?"
"To be far, you could barely even say the word sex in reference to us actually doing it."
"Okay, but the word is embarrassing."
"And me fucking you isn't?"
Nico bit his tongue. He knew Will was right, but he wasn't going to tell him. Everything they had just done was beyond embarrassing. But if by God he didn't want to do it again…
"Then let me fuck you," Nico said, but Will let out a laugh.
"Yeah, you know what to do?"
Nico bit his lip. Maybe he shouldn't have said that. But he wasn't going to back down.
"Yeah, I do, actually. Do you?"
Will just stared at him like he was stupid.
"Are you fucking serious?"
"Yeah. Are you?"
"Obviously."
"Then show me."
Will just stared at him, his mouth parted slightly open. Nico held his composure but he could feel his heartbeat in his ears. Will's looked went from shocked to mildly impressed.
"You want me to show you?"
"Yeah," Nico said, continuing the bit, "since you said you know what to do. Show me and I'll judge you on it.
"You can't be serious," Will said, acting like Nico had just made some sort of joke.
"Dead."
"We can wait, y'know?"
Nico took a deep breath and let it out with shaky control.
"I know, but I don't want to wait."
"Are you sure you still want this? Even after all this already?"
"Will, do you not want to?" Nico asked. He knew Will was trying to make sure he was okay with it, but it was starting to sound like he was trying to find an excuse to not.
"What? God, no." Will let out a sigh and moved in closer to Nico. "I need you to know I want to more than you could even imagine."
"Then why are you trying to convince me not to?"
Will bit his lip and reached for Nico's hand. He was only half aware that they were both undressed, but he didn't care.
"Because I don't want you to regret your first time."
"If it's with you, I don't think I could."
Will's chest rose and fell as he squeezed Nico's hand. It was a hard reality, but Nico understood why Will was hesitant. The last place he wanted to be in was being someone's first time. So many expectations one would have to meet. He was scared, yeah, but he knew he was in Will's hands. He could do this. But he bet Will was terrified.
Will nodded.
"It's messy," he said. Will wasn't trying to turn him away, just simply stating a fact.
"That's fine."
"And it's going to hurt."
"I know."
"And you might not even like it."
Nico nodded. "That's okay. But I want to try."
Will licked his lips.
"Are you sure-"
"Will."
"Nico," Will said sternly, "I'm only going to ask you once more. And you need to be honest with me. If I wasn't worried about all this, I already would have done it, but I need you to understand."
Nico nodded.
"Good. Now, are you genuinely sure you want to do this?"
"If I tell you to stop, you'll stop?"
"Absolutely."
"Then yes. I want to try."
Will slowly nodded.
"Okay. Then I'll do it. But no jacking me off, you can do that another time."
Nico smiled. Even when things got tense, leave it up to Will to try and crack a joke.
"Okay, it's a deal."
Will leaned in and pressed a kiss to Nico's lips like a promise. There was no more back and forth, no more convincing. What Nico had asked for would happen. And he was terrified.
Despite the now-bitter taste on his lips, Nico still found solace in Will's lips. It was a comfort he needed as he felt his heart start to pick up. Being scared and excited was such a rush of emotions all at once. He needed this to never start and to already be over. He couldn't explain it but somehow it made total sense.
Will's hands were gentle as he roamed over Nico's body once again, getting used to the new boundaries they had already crossed. In a night of major firsts, the last thing they wanted was for it to end there. Will had leaned him back down, hovering over him as he deepened their kiss. It was a comfortability that got them both warmed up to what was to come. It wasn't a question of "if" anymore, but "when."
Nico had an idea of what came next, but the real thing was going to be so much more than theory and imagination. And he knew it was going to be weird to say the least. It was the simple kiss that lasted a few minutes until Will pulled away.
They stared at one another, knowing exactly what the other was thinking. With a nod from Nico, Will leaned over and grabbed the bottle off the counter. Nico assumed it felt heavy and cold in his hands as much as it had in his own earlier in the night.
Nico had to force himself to relax, unclenching his jaw as he sucked in a quick breath as the lid popped off. Will's stare was concentrated and focused, leaving Nico feeling a little secure. He was scare shitless but he knew he could leave much of that into Will's hands. Nico had pushed his back off the bed with his elbows, watching each twitch of Will's muscles.
This was the last chance Nico knew he could back out without anything happening, and while the scared voice in his mind was telling him that maybe it wasn't the right time, he could now tell his fears apart from his truth. So, he watched as Will squeezed the lube on to his figures, spreading it over, his nose wrinkling.
"Cold?"
"Mhm," Will nodded. "And slimy."
"Oh, great," Nico said, rolling his eyes, earning a small smile from Will as he tried to keep it together. "No way to warm it up?"
"I know one way."
"I swear to god," Nico muttered as he rolled his eyes. Give it to Will to still make those kinds of jokes even at this point.
"Let me know if you want me to stop."
"Will, if you don't hurry up and pu-"
Will cut him off with a kiss, resting his weight forward on his clean hand.
"Shut up and lean back," he spoke as he pulled back, leaving Nico a little breathless. Nico followed suit and let his arms give out. As he laid back, Will followed. It was almost like everything about his dimeter had changed as Nico watched him. Will's focus was unwavering as ran his hand up Nico's thigh. He felt so exposed, but each breath on his skin sent waves through him.
Will lifted one of Nico's legs up, pressing his lips to the inner part of his thigh. At first he had his eyes closed, but he glanced up at Nico, watching him through his hair that had fallen in front of him. This wasn't a sight Nico thought he would ever witness, but he swore he would have this image burned into his mind even when he closed them.
Each trail of Will's lips left him struggling to maintain his own composure. He knew it was Will's way of working up and giving him time, he swore he was going to finish again just by this. Nico was too far gone.
"I need you to relax," Will said, his voice low and rough. It felt like an oxymoron to relax in a time like this, but he nodded, closing his eyes. He could just pretend something else was happening if he had to, but the anticipation was going to kill him.
Nico felt the cold, slimy touch of Will's fingers for a brief moment before he paused.
"Yes or no?"
"Yes," Nico almost shouted, knowing he was just being mentally edged at this point.
Nico felt a few of Will's other fingers and hand before he felt Will's fingertip. It was a strange feeling, but he knew all Will had to do was just push in a little and it would be completely different.
"Just one finger right now," Will said, but Nico was ready to curse him out if he waited any longer.
"Just shut up and put it in, Solace, or I swear-" Nico could barely finished the sentence as he felt Will's finger slip in just past the first knuckle. It was beyond strange and little unpleasant, but not what he had expected. He had expected much worse, but Nico assumed that feeling would come later.
Nico squirmed at first, trying to get used to the feeling of something in there, but when Will managed to fit the whole digit in, it was enough to have a gasp leave his throat.
"You're okay," Will said as he stilled his hand. Nico bit down on his own tongue, trying everything to relax his body. He knew he was fighting it, but he couldn't help it.
"Will," he muttered, moving a bit to find comfort and any form of friction to make the alien feeling more bearable.
"I know," Will spoke, his voice still low. It had the same gravel when he was tired or turned on, but was still smooth and thick. If Will told him to calm down, he would have no choice but to listen when he sounded like that. He started to slowly push the single digit in and out and Nico felt his body wanting to seize up.
After a few more times, Nico let his body start to relax, almost anticipating the friction. The burning that has started before had turned into a numbing euphoria. It was nothing like he had expected but he wasn't against it. Will continued the motion for a few more minutes until Nico felt that he was trying to match Will's pace.
Will slipped his finger out, causing Nico to feel strange. Everything had a buzzing sensation to it and he was suddenly aware of his once again growing situation. If he wasn't so turned on, this entire thing would have been so unbelievably embarrassing.
"Breathe," Will told him, edging the entrance once again, but this time with an extra figure. Nico almost shouted, "wait," but he managed to bite it. The first press was like before, but every second passed by the sensation grew twice as much as it had before. Nico had reached out and gripped Will's arm, nails digging in. It was nothing like before.
"Fuck," he managed to say, biting his lip as Will shushed him.
"You got it," Will said, pausing halfway in for a brief moment. When Nico had stopped flexing, he continued until he reached the bottom knuckle. Nico wanted to scream, but his voice was caught somewhere well before his throat. All he could do was pant as he felt his own heartbeat. For a second, he wondered if Will could feel his.
Will waited a few seconds for Nico to adjust to the new feeling of two fingers before moving. Much like before, it felt strange and alien before it started to become bearable. Nico wondered why people enjoyed this, but he assumed those people had done this before and this wasn't just foreplay for the next part.
Will's fingers were starting to move easier as he relaxed and the feeling was starting to pick up. He felt his breath catching and his stomach dropping.
"I'm going to need you to forgive me for a second," Will said, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Nico's lips. At first, Nico had zero idea what that meant, but as he took Will's tongue into his mouth, he was suddenly painfully aware of Will inside him. He wanted to bite, to scream, but suddenly his entire body felt weightless. The wave of pleasure that crashed over him as he felt Will's fingers curl up inside of him and brush against something.
Nico had tried to bite his tongue, but the moan he let out was muffled by Will's mouth. He felt the blond smile as he paused.
"Fuck," Nico swore as he slammed his head back. He wasn't exactly sure on what that was, but he had a pretty good guess. As fast as he had recovered, Nico was back with his back arching off the bed at the touch. Will had quickly found what he was looking for and was using it to his full advantage.
"Like it?" Will asked, but Nico knew he was being sarcastic.
"Fuck you," Nico managed to spit out as he felt another moan leave his mouth. It was enough to leave him speechless. He knew that if Will kept it up, he would be finishing well before they got far enough to actually go all the way.
Will kissed him, moving his fingers in and out like he had been in the beginning, every third or so thrust hitting the bundle of nerves.
He was torn between just continuing with this or actually holding out for the next part. If Nico thought he had any strength to hang on any longer, all thoughts of that possibility was starting to flee.
Nico's body was starting to scream more, needing more touch, more grip. He pushed his own hand down to try and get himself off, finding some way to release the pressure that was building in his untouched member. He got about two strokes in before Will reached down and pulled it off.
Before Nico could response, Will whispered, "Not yet. If you really want to hold out, trust me."
Nico had to bite his lip to hold back but he agreed. He pulled his hand back, now slightly sticky, and latched on to Will, nails digging in. It was all he could do to not lose his own sanity.
After a few more moments that felt like hours, Nico swore he was going to collapse in on himself. Every touch felt like a lighter dancing on his skin. When Will finally slowed down, Nico was begging for it to pick up again and thanking any god he could think of. Will slowly slid his fingers out, giving Nico a minute for his body to adjust to the sudden absence.
"Are you sure?" Will asked, wiping them off on the bedsheets just out of reach.
Nico wanted to scream bloody murder to his boyfriend, but all he could muster was a groan.
"If you don't fuck me-"
"Okay," Will cut him off, letting out a small chuckle. He maneuvered himself to grab the box of condoms, opening them and grabbing one before discarding the rest. Nico could feel Will's eyes on him as he grabbed everything and it was getting under his skin. He didn't hate it; it was just something new. He didn't know what it meant to be the object of someone's affection quite like this, so he was still getting used to it.
Will, with one hand gripping the packaging, leaned down and kissed Nico, long and solid. It wasn't desperate anymore, but simply full of anticipation. Nico brought his hands up and cupped the side of his face, holding him and not letting him go. He was even mostly unaware of Will striping himself of the last piece of clothing, discarding his underwear to the side somewhere.
When they pulled away, Nico could feel his cheeks heating up. He shouldn't be feeling embarrassed, but he couldn't help it. They both laid themselves bare and this was the point of no return. One last yes and everything would be different between them, for better or for worse.
As Will ripped the packaging away, sliding the condom on, Nico couldn't help but advert his eyes. He thought he was going to pass out if he watched head on, so he watched from his peripheral. When Will was finished, he grabbed the bottle of lube, popping open the cap, slicking his fingers up once again but also his own shaft.
"Last time," Will said, voice steady. "Yes or no?"
"Yes." Nico couldn't even bring himself to fight back. It was real and he was feeling a wave of emotions. He could put up a defense as much as he wanted, but sometimes he needed to let them down. Will was one of the few people he reserved that right for.
With a nod, Will prodded Nico's hole with his fingers like he had done previously, giving it a few seconds to adjust before pulling them out, earning a low whine from Nico. Will slid his hands down Nico's thigh, lining himself up.
"Relax," Will told him before he slowly started to press forward, breaching just the tip.
Nico let out a loud string of curses, feeling a searing pain overcome him. He knew it would hurt but he had no idea it would feel like this. For a half second, he wanted to scream at Will to stop, but Will had already paused inside, no longer pressing forward.
"Are you okay?" he asked, voice steady but still full of concern.
Nico bit his lip as he took in a few breaths, trying to let the burning sensation cool off. When he got control over his breathing, he said, "Yeah, just give me a second."
Will didn't say a single thing, he just nodded and waited. After a few seconds, Nico let out a shaky breath and nodded.
"Okay."
Nodding back, Will started to move again, but much like last time, each fraction of an inch was just as painful as the last. Nico swore maybe he hadn't been ready, but he knew this was common. He did his research. If he wanted out, Will would stop. He had to keep that in mind.
They really took their time. With each inch, Will would stop and wait until Nico gave him the okay. Nico told himself he would try to take it all before he decided to cop out. Every time it started to get unbearable, Will was there to check on him.
When Will bottomed out, he let out a heavy breath, his blond hair was sticking to his sweaty forehead. His arms holding him up above Nico were shaking, barely carrying his weight. Nico knew that at the moment, Will was getting the most out of this, but he still wanted to press on. The feeling inside was truly foreign and was indescribable. It was somehow the worst feeling Nico had ever felt, but he didn't exactly want it to stop. He figured it would be like the fingers, and given time, would relax into pleasure.
By the time the feeling became bearable, the itch of needing more was starting to sit in. It was that small barrier between the uncomfortable and going of the brink that remained, and just to push through would bare its wondrous pleasures. The feeling still stung, but it was becoming numb and almost mysterious. Maybe the pain would bring more.
With Will's breath hot against his skin, Nico himself was starting to get impatient. It was primal instinct over any sort of rational logic at that point and Nico needed Will to move.
"Move," he managed to breathe out, his voice shaky. Will put up zero resistance to this and he followed through. Slowly, he pulled out, an inch to start, before going back in. The pain seared, but it was less intense as it had been before. It must have been the haze that was taking over his mind, but with each slow, shallow thrust forward, he was starting to anticipate it. Nico's hips would move to meet each thrust, clenching his teeth at the impact.
Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, Nico suddenly felt his entire body shudder. It was a feeling he hadn't anticipated. His breath got caught in his throat as he felt his back lift off the bed as it arched. An uncontrollable sound left his throat and was followed by a groan from Will.
"Fuck," Nico spat, trying to regain composure. All at once, he had zero regrets or thoughts of stopping. Nico could barely form a solid thought before his mind went foggy. Even though Will's thrusts were still shallow, it still was enough to get him going. "More."
Without a second of hesitation, Will pulled out almost fully before slamming back in, bottoming out once more. His voice was rough and low as he bit back a moan. What started out slow was picking up speed. Nico was coming down from the high of Will hitting the bundle of nerves before Will hit it once again, sending his body back into a shock of bliss.
Nico gripped Will's back, trying to find some sort of ground to hold on to, each thrust was weakening his grip. He knew his nails were digging in deep, but Will hadn't told him to stop and at that point he didn't care.
Skin on skin was sticky and hot but comforting. If he could hold Will closer, Nico would have. He was aware he probably looked like a mess, but he didn't care. He tried to bite back moans, but Will was starting to leave him breathless and it was growing increasingly harder to fight back.
Nico felt the pressure building up, and the last thing he wanted to do was to end this. He knew when he finished, Will would pull out whether he was done or not, and this wasn't just about him. He knew Will would want to make this about him, but Nico wanted both of them to be fully fulfilled to the best of their ability. First times might not always be the best, but this one could at least be memorable.
Breathless, Nico moaned, "Please." He wasn't sure what he was asking, but Will seemed to understand. His thoughts were completely gone and all he could focus on was how much he loved Will. And how much he wanted to get off.
Each thrust was fuller and more confident, leaving Nico at Will's complete control. If he had asked Nico to do anything, in that moment he would have. Every third or so thrusts, Will would hit the bundle of nerves, leaving Nico cursing and stuttering, gasping for air.
Will's movements were starting to pick up, the sensation overwhelming Nico as he took it, all of his muscles fighting against him. His own stomach was tightening, the build up of his own orgasm finding its way up.
In an attempt to find more friction, Nico started to fully meet Will's thrusts, both of there hips moving with one another. It started out off beat, but they quickly found their rhythm. Nico felt desperate, and probably looked it, too, but it felt too good to care. A whine left his lips as Will rammed the spot head on, leaving his legs starting to feel weak.
"Good boy," Will said, his voice full of gravel as he leaned down, meeting Nico's lips. The next moan was trapped between their connected lips, both needing more of the other. Back and forth their bodies moved as one, both desperate and needy as they clung to one another, gripping and pulling. One hand clawed up his back and the one had a fist full of blond hair to hold on to.
As Will's hips picked up speed and power, Nico pulled his hair. A tight grip at the base was enough to send a groan shooting directly from Will's throat. In response, Will slipped his hand between their bodies and gripped Nico's dick, pumping up and down in rhythm of his own movements. Nico swore he stopped breathing.
Will's heavy breathing was all he could hear aside from his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. He was a sputtering mess as he let Will take full control. He couldn't process a single thought, let alone understand what to do. He tightened his grip on Will's hair, pulling as he struggled to breathe.
One minute he was begging Will to let him finish, only managing a combination of "Will" and "please," and the next his vision went white. He was hyper aware of his stomach seizing up, all his muscles struggling to keep up as he rode out his orgasm. Will didn't slow down his part, continuing to add to the sensation that had pushed him over the edge.
While it was all too much at once, he didn't care. He was grasping on to each spike of his orgasm that came as he road it out.
It wasn't much longer before Will reached his own finish, riding his out in shallow thrusts that slowed down to a rest.
Nico was only half aware of how gross he was, but he didn't care. Will had dropped down on him, both of their hearts pounding as their breathing remained heavy. The room was now painfully quiet aside from their breathing and a low buzz in Nico's ears as his senses came back.
Catching his breath, Will pulled himself up and slowly pulled out. Nico winced at the feeling, his entire body over sensitive and adjusting to him no longer in. Will readjusted before he leaned forward and kissed him. It was gentle and held no requirements from him. "You did so good," he spoke, lips barely a whisper on his own. Will leaned back in and kissed him again.
Nico covered his face with his arm as Will shifted up and off the bed. While his entire body was on fire, he was suddenly starting to feel very cold from the sweat that covered his entire body.
Laying there, all his thoughts were coming back to him. He couldn't believe he had actually done that. Part of him thought that maybe he should have waited, but he knew he had zero regrets. It's not that he didn't but having held himself back for so long, it was a weird thought to think that there was no going back to where they had been just an hour earlier. Maybe it was some sort of clarity hitting him, but he knew he was going to have to get used to this new reality.
Somewhere off in the hotel room, Nico heard running water. As he pulled his arm down a bit and cracked open an eye, he saw Will coming back out of the bathroom with a wet facecloth. Holding it up, he smiled, his hair still half stuck to his forehead and poking out in all directions.
"Let me help you get cleaned up."
Nico groaned and put his arm back over his face. He was now beyond embarrassed about everything that had just happened and the situation he was in. He didn't have the courage to see the state he was in. Nico could guess by the feeling, but it was better to be oblivious.
"C'mon, it's better than getting into the shower right after. Trust me," Will said, now leaning one leg on the side of the bed. Nico ran a hand over his face, pulling at his hair a bit.
"This is so embarrassing," he muttered, but Will just laughed.
"Isn't it?" Will shuffled over until he was fully beside him, gently setting the cloth on his body. At first, Nico jolted at the touch of the warm, damp cloth, but once his muscles started to fight back, he allowed it.
"Fine."
Nico took it back; this was the most embarrassing part of the entire evening. He felt like a child as Will helped him get cleaned up and that was the worst thought he could have possibly had at that moment. But once Will was done, he discarded it over to the side of the bed where neither of them were.
"How are you?" Will asked, still sitting just beside him. Nico cracked open an eye.
"Honestly?" Will nodded, waiting patently. "I fucking hurt."
"Yeah," Will chuckled, "I expected that, to say the least." While Nico rolled his eyes, Will leaned over and kissed him quick and sweet. "C'mon."
"What?"
Will reached his hands out for Nico who stared him down.
"I'm trying to help you up."
"Why."
Will rolled his eyes. "Well, for one, we aren't sleeping in this. And two – and trust me on this – you're going to have to use the bathroom."
Nico wanted to protest, but he was too tired and Will's hands were too warm to resist. He took Will's hand and as he tried to sit up, he felt the pain shoot up his spine. When he winced, Will was right there to help him.
"Fuck," he hissed.
"Yeah, I'm really sorry about that."
"You better be."
"Here I am trying to be nice and help and you're being mean to me," Will said. "You can walk yourself to the bathroom, then."
Nico half thought to test his boyfriend's patients by doing just that, but the throbbing pain was enough to convince him that this was a battle he should lose.
"I'm sorry," Nico said, "can you please help me?"
Will was shocked at first but he quickly regained his composure with a smile. It took slow movements and lots of curses from Nico, but they managed to get themselves both fully cleaned up, half drunk on their energy running dry.
Five minutes after, they were both curled up in the other bed, Will holding Nico against his chest, playing with his hair. They shared hushed "I love you"s in the dark, the city below completely unaware of them as they laid. It wasn't long before they both passed out from the night's events. It was peaceful.
….
The morning was a bit too peaceful when Will cracked his eyes open. The sun was shining at just the right angle that it wasn't hitting him in the face but illuminating the entire room in a heavenly glow. His entire body had melted into the bed, his muscles liquified where they laid. Wrapped up in his arms was his boyfriend sleeping more peaceful than he had ever seen him. But what got him was not the hum of a bird perched on his windowsill, but the buzzing of a cell phone.
With a deep breath, Will ran a hand over his face and tried to find where it was coming from. When he glanced over his shoulder, his body fighting him the entire time, he saw Nico's phone going off. It was on viberate so he fished around to stop the buzzing noise. It took a few times before he finally managed to grab it.
He didn't even get it fully in his hand before it stopped on its own. Sighing, Will set it back down, not caring to check who was calling before he turned back over, closing his eyes. He wrapped his arm back around Nico, pulling him closer as he tried to go back to sleep.
Once again, he was interrupted by Nico's phone going off once again. This time Will was frustrated. He shifted just enough to reach over and grab it. He put it up to his ear, accepting the call without checking the caller ID.
"Hello?" he said, voice rough and full of sleep. He was only half awake and he wanted to go back to bed.
"I swear to God - so help me child." The voice on the other end was his mother's and he shot up. He wasn't fully awake, but he was aware that something was wrong. Beside him, Nico started to shift.
"Ma," he said, running a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes a few times, trying to hold back a yawn.
"Do you wish to tell me why I have been trying to get a hold of you for the past half hour and why your phone keeps going to voice mail?"
Will shot a glance in the direction of where his phone was and cursed. He had completely forgotten to charge his phone after everything that had happened.
"It's dead," he said, now fully sitting up. "Sorry."
"Don't sorry me, boy. I'm not the one who's gonna miss their flight."
"Fuck," Will muttered.
"Exactly." A sigh came from Naomi's end. "What ever will I do with you?"
"Sorry."
"Just be ready and downstairs in ten minutes or I'm comin' up there and draggin' you both down. Got it?"
"Yes, mom."
"Good boy. Now," she paused, "just get cleaned up and packed. Ten minutes."
Naomi had hung up before Will even brought the phone down from his ear. He looked at the screen and saw not only the time, but the seven missed calls and multiple texts she had sent to Nico's phone.
"Mhm...?"
Will glanced down and saw Nico blinking awake.
"Mom," Will explained as he ran a hand through Nico's hair. "Apparently my phone died and our alarm didn't go off so she's been tryin' to get a hold of us."
Nico let out a soft noise as he stretched out.
"Sorry 'bout that."
Will shook his head, pulling at the small knots with gentle fingers. He noticed several hickeys fully formed on Nico's exposed chest and neck. Will felt his face heat up as he remembered the events of last night.
"Don't. I forgot to plug it in." Will glanced around, taking in the room in the daylight and he wished he hadn't. He had to pry his eyes away before he started to mentally relive it. He needed to concentrate on getting ready, not wanting a repeat. "Hey, let's get showered before ma kills us."
Nico groaned as he pulled the blanket closer.
"If we don't, we'll miss our flight."
"Amazing. Good night."
"Nico." Will pulled the covers down but Nico fought back. "C'mon." They went back and forth until Will managed to overpower Nico and toss the covers off to the side. Will was met with his brown eyes looking up at him, pouting. "Do you need a hand?"
Nico rolled his eyes. "No." Will raised a brow as Nico tried to sit up, only to stop halfway. "Yeah."
"Thought so," he said, smiling. "Lean on me."
"I hate you," Nico mumbled as Will helped him off the bed.
"I love you, too."
….
By the time they were out of the shower, fully packed, and down in the lobby, Naomi had pulled in and was waiting for them. She had the spare keys in hand as she leaned on the passenger's side door.
"There you two are," she said, taking Nico's suitcase and loading it into the car. "Here I thought I was going to have to go up there and drag you both down."
Will waved his hand.
"We're here now."
"Barely," she sighed. "Thank God you're your father's problem now."
"Mean."
As they loaded up the car, Naomi kept shooting Nico a look.
"Nico," she called, causing Nico to stop opening the door halfway and look over at her as she stood by the driver's door, "are you okay?"
"What?"
"Did you hurt yourself? You've been leaning on the side of the door."
Nico clenched his teeth as he had to fight to control every muscle in his face not to expose himself. Shaking his head, he said, "Think I over exerted my ankle last night." He knew denying it would be worse than a logical excuse. It was the best he could come up with.
But Naomi nodded and left it at that. As she got into the car, Will on the other side gave him a look that screamed, "Holy fucking shit, how did she notice?", to which Nico just shook his head and gave a tense shrug. They both gave each other a stare before getting into the car.
It was an end to their trip as Naomi drove them to the airport. They had to forgo the coffee as they were running late, but Will had pulled out the snacks he had picked up the night previous, handing Nico one of the chocolate bars to snack on.
As the southern city passed by, the buildings fading into the background as they made their way to the airport, the past week had started to turn into a blur. The good and the bad were just a messy movie Nico could replay when he closed his eyes.
The entire week had been some step outside of reality and heading back to New York meant he would have to find himself back living his own life. He wasn't sure where things were going, but as he had Will's hand in his own, small circles being thumbed onto the back of his hand, he knew he was safe. Even thought he had no idea what was to come, maybe, just maybe, he was starting to become ready to face it.
A/N: Did i mean for over half of this chapter to be porn? no. no i didn't. but did it happen? yes. and we cant take it back so enjoy. Also did i write majority of this on the plane? also yes. lets jut say this chapter has been all over the place and neither of us knew where it was gonna end.
But wow, Bitter is finished. There is so much i wish i could saw but most of it is lost on my tongue. I have been planning out Sweet (which should be dropping in February at some point just so i can have it fully planned) and by god ive said it once and ill say it again: it is going to be a massive fic. probably the biggest ive taken on.
But needless to say, this series wont be finished for at least another little bit because of it. though, i have been thinking through some new series. so, i will drop some summaries at some point (in Sweet) and let you all vote. it should only be between four fics, but they will be my next focus to keep me writing. RN i think its between a Ballet AU, a Musician AU, a Musical AU, and Mental Hospital Au. But i dont want it to be too many options. Not sure on the rating of these fics, but again, more info to come.
ANywyas! Sometimes it hits me that this is the third (major) chapter-driven fic i've written. I feel like i strived for a level of realism with this fic while still having these absolutely not real situations. It's been a hard middle ground juggle and i feel like i really one uped myself. I had a lot of firsts I wanted to achieve with this series, and i'm really checking off that list. (Also my friend laughed at me when I told them that me and my friends actually do get drunk and go to walmart for entertainment just like Will used to do.)
Let me just say, one day i will set a fic in canada bc the amount of googling I've been doing for these fics? i hate it. Alberta is just southern canada anyways, so u use what u can.
Anyways. PLEASE let me know your thoughts and feelings on this fic and what you look forward with Sweet. Im personally so excited for this. Its going to be one of the most intricate fics I've ever written, i can feel it. It's going to take a little bit more than just normal fan fic energy, as I'm going to be pouring some of my personal work into it. It's going to be massive, probably twice the size of Sour and Bitter easily.
Until the last part.
Kitty
