Will cried for a long time, but if Nico knew anything from dealing with ghosts, it's that there wasn't one appropriate way to mourn one's own death. So he held him, unsure how to comfort him except by being there.

When his tears ran dry, Will pulled away slightly, just enough to look Nico in the eye and attempt a faint smile. "Sorry about that, and…thanks."

Nico placed a short kiss on Will's lips. "It's okay. I told you: you have every right to be upset. It's been over a month, so it's normal that it hurts now that it finally hits you." Another kiss, on his nose. "And I could tell you it'll get better, but the thing is, I have no idea."

"It will. As long as I have you, it can only get better."

Nico smiled, and kissed him on the forehead. "That was cheesy, even for you."

"What can I say," Will said, chuckling, "I have the genes of a romcom archetype. You said so yourself."

"Well, if you're a romcom hero, then look at the bright side: your lowest point is probably behind you, which only leaves the happy ending."

Will raised an eyebrow, grinning. "With you?"

Nico shrugged. "I wouldn't mind."

"Me neither." Will tackled him, pinning him against the couch with his weight as he pressed a kiss on Nico's lips. He was gone soon, and his face was still a little red from the crying, but he was still absolutely gorgeous, and the spark in his eyes and his grin was doing unfair things to Nico's body. "Nico…" He took a deep breath. "Don't freak out, but I think I love you." Nico froze, but he manage to keep his reaction to that. "I'm serious," Will continued. "I knew it when I saw you dying on the floor."

Nico stared at him, stunned. When he finally recovered enough to try to speak, Will placed a finger across his lips.

"I don't need you to say it back. Just so we're clear. I know it's—fast. And I know I'm a ghost. I just…I wanted you to know it, because I know that's how I feel, and it would be dishonest to hide it from you."

He moved his hand away, staring at Nico expectantly, and Nico finally remembered how to make sounds. "Okay." No, that was stupid. "Thank you for telling me." Still pretty stupid, but that was the best Nico could think of. "I—" Part of him wanted to say I love you too, and to mean it, but only part of him, and wasn't that the sort of words you needed to feel with your entire being before saying them? Nico reached out to tangle a hand in Will's hair, almost mindlessly. "I'm not ready to say it back yet." That was the most honest way to say it, and he hoped the 'yet' would make it clear to Will that he knew it was only a matter of time.

Maybe he did: the smile on Will's face was confusing, a mix of happy and sad and relieved. Maybe he'd expected Nico to throw him out immediately. Nico took in those emotions, sighed, and pulled him closer for another kiss, wandering his other hand down Will's back and sliding it under the waistband of his jeans. While changing clothes, he noted, Will had forgotten—or refused—to conjure underwear, and Nico's fingers immediately found smooth, firm skin. He ran his fingers further down the curve of Will's ass, and the boy shivered above him, moaning into Nico's mouth and grinding against his crotch with desperate need.

It was easy to forget that Will had no experience in this matter, sometimes, but this reaction reminded Nico, who forced their lips apart. "What are we doing, exactly?"

Will started, getting back up on his knees, an almost panicked look on his face."I thought—unless you don't want to—"

"What about you? Are you sure you're ready?"

A nervous chuckle escaped Will. "I just told you I loved you and you think I might not be ready? If not now, with you, then when?"

"Okay. I just wanted to be sure."

Will nodded. "I am. I promise." With a mischievous smile, he slipped his hands under Nico's shirt, sending twin shivers across his skin as he moved up, taking the shirt with him. With a sigh, Nico sat up to let him take it off completely.

"We should probably go to my bed," he said. "If only for comfort."

Will chuckled. "All right." He stood, visibly made uncomfortable by the strain in his pants—which Nico could sympathize with.

The bedroom was only a few steps away, which was still far too much. They had to pause three times, one of them pinning the other against the table, a wall, the door, kissing with enthusiasm and getting rid of one article of clothing or the other.

By the time they reached Nico's bed, he was in his boxers and Will was only wearing his jeans—under which Nico now knew there was nothing but Will, ready for him. Grinning, he pushed Will against the footboard and dropped to his knees. Only then did Will seem to realize his intention: he let out a small whimper when Nico pulled down his pants in one swift motion, then a small gasp when Nico gripped his erection, now free, with a hand.

The sound he made when Nico took him in his mouth was absolutely divine—Nico spoke as a connoisseur on the subject.

Nico adopted a slow rhythm, too slow for his own liking—it had been so long since Nico himself had gotten laid—but he didn't want to rush it, especially if it was Will's first time. Besides, there was a lot to enjoy in taking the scenic route too: Will's uncontrolled breathing, the small noises he let out from time to time, the way his hands fluttered around Nico, tangling in his hair one moment, trying to caress him the next, then settling on the footboard to keep Will steady.

The latter was a losing battle: his body quivered under Nico's control, and it wasn't long before his legs gave way and he dropped on the bed. It forced Nico to let go of him for a moment, and he took the opportunity to trail kiss on Will's lower stomach, over his upper thighs, then slowly, back up the length of his cock before he took sucked on it once more. Will grasped at the sheets, his body slowly tensing, and that was Nico's cue to stop.

He slithered over Will's body, kissing a path up on to his lips. When he reached them, Will captured him completely, rolling them both to he'd lie on top of Nico and kissing him with a hunger Nico could only feel pleased at having caused.

When Will was finally sated, he looked down and noticed Nico's boxers still in the way, his cock straining against them and slightly wet with pre-come. Nico didn't care about that detail, and neither did he, apparently: all Will seemed to care about was his haste to take them off. Nico couldn't complain about that.

Once he did, he sat back, immobile for a moment, staring at Nico, as if drinking in the sight of his naked body. He cast a few glances from Nico's face to his dick, as if debating what to do next. Nico didn't let him: he grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him to kiss him again. As he did, Nico found one of Will's hands with his, guiding him down to his own cock. Will got the message, delicately taking it—almost as if he was afraid—as he begun to stroke. He was slow at first, but not for long, especially not when Nico found the boy's cock and stroked in response.

Will seemed to build up a frenzy, enthusiastically gaining speed—way too fast. At this rate, Nico would come soon, too soon. He didn't want that, he wanted to take his time, but his protests died as moans in Will's mouth as Nico's body relished in the sensations and he began to gain speed himself to match Will's, instead of bringing him down to his own rhythm.

He barely noticed his orgasm until it hit him in full force, sending tremors through his body as Will, startled, froze completely and pulled away. "Don't stop," Nico managed to say through the haze, and Will understood, stroking again with maddening speed, pumping Nico through his orgasm. His eyes never left Nico's the whole time, not even when his breath hitched as the movements of Nico's hand over his cock resumed; not even when he let out a strangled cry and came spurting over Nico's fingers and belly, hot yet strangely lacking in the stickiness as Will's bodily fluids lost consistency soon after leaving his body.

Will dropped next to Nico, lying on his side, staring at him still. It took Nico longer to come down enough to turn his head and meet his gaze.

"So that happened," Will said.

"Yeah, that happened. Feel any different?"

"Good, but not different. I didn't expect to, though. I'm not the blushing ingenue in our romcom, I'm the popular stud."

Nico laughed. "Of course you are."

Will's smile met his. "It wasn't what I expected, but it was also better than what I could have imagined."

Nico kissed him briefly. "Well, that's usually everyone's first time. Unless it's a disaster, of course."

"What was it for you?"

"Bit of both. The sex was great; the incubus trying to feed on me after, not so much."

Will laughed. "You're not going to do that, are you?"

"Hmm." Nico kissed him down his neck. "I'm seriously tempted," he teased, grazing his teeth over the skin of Will's throat. "But I think I could use some rest first. I did just almost die last night."

He didn't sleep; he couldn't have, not while feeling so awake and alive with Will next to him. The irony of that was not lost on Nico. They lay in bed together, lost in each other and in daydreams.

It was only when they got up for dinner that something hit him. Nico's phone had been silent for the entire day. Did everyone already know Bianca was back, that he'd almost died? Was it just a coincidence? Either way, he appreciated it. Just the thought of this afternoon with Will being interrupted by anything was terrible already.