Hey guy's guess who's back after spraining their wrist! (Again...) Honestly I hurt myself way too often but at least its nothing major just inconvenient, but here I am with a new chapter yay!

Chapter 3 While you wait

Today Nico had arrived at the café slightly early and grabbed their usual table and sat down to wait for Annabeth and Piper. He pulled out his newest book that he was already about halfway through and turned to the page he had left off on. He was so lost in the words on the page that he didn't realize that someone had sat down at the table with him until he reached for the coffee that was placed in front of him and took a sip. He sputtered and coughed when he looked over the rim of the cup and saw that it wasn't Annabeth or Piper sitting there but Will.

"Are you alright?" Will asked as he looked ready to rush over and help Nico if he needed it. But Nico managed to catch his breath again and set the drink down as he looked at the blond sitting across from him. "Will! Uh hi, I-I wasn't expecting to see you, well of course I'd see you, you work here and usually this shift, but you're not working, and you're sitting here and… why did you get me a coffee?" Nico was rambling he knew but he was really curious about this whole situation and honestly very confused.

Will smiled good naturedly. "I worked the early shift today so I'm done now. As for the drink we get free coffee on shift and I grabbed one for you since you've been sitting here for about forty minutes now, I'm assuming waiting for friends, so I thought I'd come over and keep you company until they got here. I also remembered the amount of sugar you usually put in yourself after so I did that for you, I hope it's okay."

Nico tried not to look as flustered as he felt at that moment but that had been really thoughtful of Will considering they'd only really talked once outside of Nico ordering something and making small talk here and there. "Thanks, it's great actually. I didn't even realize I'd been here that long." Now that he thought about it his friends should have been here by now or at least tried to reach him, so Nico pulled out his phone and sure enough his phone had been on silent so he hadn't noticed when Annabeth had texted him.

Annabeth: Hey Neeks, Pipes and I are going to be running late today but we'll treat you to make it up to you.

Nico readjusted the volume on his phone and sent a text back.

Nico: No worries got my book.

Annabeth: I knew you would. :P

Annabeth: Be there soon.

Nico: Okay see you soon.

Nico put his phone away and looked back at Will. "Sorry about that, Annabeth had text me but I couldn't hear the phone so I never noticed." He gave Will a sheepish smile. Will shook his head. "That's alright, so is that the book you bought the other day?" he nodded towards the book that still lay open in front of Nico on the table. "Yeah, I've been reading it as often as I can outside of class so I'm nearly done it now." He looked down to see that there weren't that many chapters left now and that he'd likely be done it tonight.

"Guess it's time to get another one." He said more to himself, just thinking out loud, but Will nodded in understanding. "I've read an entire eight hundred page book in less than eight hours one time and that was while trying to pace myself." Nico laughed, he knew the feeling, if he was really into a book and had nothing else going on then he'd continue reading nonstop if he could help it until he had finished.

Hoping to learn a little more about Will he decided to turn the conversation towards him now. "So you said you were working the early shift today, how come?" he really hoped he wasn't prying too much. He didn't want to seem nosy and annoy Will now that they were finally actually talking to one another. But Will didn't seem bothered by the question and answered happily.

"A co-worker of mine was attending a wedding today, it came up last minute because one of the brides maid couldn't make it so they were filling in, and they had asked me if I could cover for them while they were gone, I don't usually have anything going on at that time so I didn't mind covering for them." Nico thought that was really nice of him and said as much. "That's pretty cool of you." Will laughed and smiled almost to himself. "Well I did have one condition, I told her that I wanted to see pictures of her in the dress, she was the only one that was the right size and since she wasn't the original one that was meant to wear it I wanted to see how she looked in it seeing as how she said she hated the color and she's not really a fan of dresses to begin with."

He found this interesting. "What color is the dress?" he thought maybe some weird pink or bright green or something. "Bright orange, bordering on neon and she told me that it makes her feel like a walking pumpkin that could probably glow in the dark."

Nico couldn't help himself, he let out a sort before he could stop it and quickly clamped a hand over his mouth out of embarrassment but when he heard Will's laugh he soon forgot about feeling embarrassed and joined in. Will had such an amazing and contagious laugh and he didn't know why but sitting here and laughing with this guy he barely knew just felt so right and natural to him.

"Okay, I guess I can see why you would want pictures of that." He said as they both calm down. He's smiling more than he thought he could while just talking to someone outside of his small circle of close friends but he likes how it feels. Suddenly Nico jumps when he hears his phone go off in his pocket. He pulls it out and see's that Piper is calling him so he answers it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Neeks, how's it going?"

"…Fine I guess, where are you guys?"

"Oh we might be running later than expected. You don't mind do you?"

He's sure he can hear a smile in her voice and he's immediately suspicious.

"How late?"

"How late do you want us to be?"

He glanced around and thought he spotted what looked like a small handheld mirror from around the corner outside angled at his table. His friends were spying on him and purposely making him sit here and wait for them while they stood outside and watched him sit here with his crush laughing like a love struck fool. He didn't know whether to curse them out or give them a huge hug when he finally saw them because they were the best friends he could ever ask for.

"Just get here whenever, no big rush." He said before hanging up the phone and looking at Will.

"Sorry, my friends should be coming any time now. Would you um, like to stick around when they get here? They're also big into books so you might like talking with them." He wasn't sure if he was doing this right or not, he wasn't used to inviting people to do anything and wasn't sure what protocol you used when trying to discreetly ask your crush not to leave.

Will brightened and nodded. "Sure, sounds good." Nico felt like his stomach was full of butterflies, who knew that actually happened? Soon enough Piper and Annabeth were walking in and came over to the table to join them and Nico was really happy when Will switched over to the seat next to him, offering the one he had been in to Piper while Annabeth went to get the two of them something to drink.

When she got back they introduced themselves and for the next hour or so the four of them sat there and talked animatedly about their favorite books, characters, genres, and plot points. Nico pulled out his phone and glanced at the text on the screen while Piper and Will chatted about amazing character development and saw Annabeth watching him with an amused smirk on her face.

Annabeth: He's a keeper ;D

Nico: Shut up, I don't even know if he's interested.

He saw Annabeth roll her eyes before shooting him another quick text.

Annabeth: Oh please. Get a clue Sherlock.

Nico: He's just being nice.

Annabeth: Free dink number 2?

Nico: Shut up.

Annabeth: XD It's cute the way he's looking at you.

Nico's head shoots up just catching Will's eyes on him but they both blush and look away quickly.

Nico: OMFG

Annabeth: ;D

"You should join us again some time Will." Annabeth said as she stood up to take their empty cups up to the counter, Will tried to help her but she insisted that his shift was over so he should just sit and relax.

"I'm going to go buy a pastry for the road, just give your number to Nico and we'll shoot you a text sometime." Piper said as she got up and headed after Annabeth, again Nico wasn't sure if he hated or loved the two of them and their stupidly wonderful attempts to put him together with Will.

"Sure, pass me your phone and I'll add my number." Will said without hesitation as he turned and smiled at Nico. He passed him his phone and felt as though a jolt passed between them as their fingers brushed, Oh God here we go he thought as the fluttering in his stomach intensified.

He just knew he'd be sitting up all night glancing at his phone and Will's name and number in his contacts.

Well I hope you liked that one, please let me know what you think.