ask-will-and-nico

[ask-will-and-nico]

Nico hummed. “Maybe. We’ll see. Right now, focus on school, okay?” he said. “I will,” Hazel replied. “But really, I’d love to come visit.” Nico sighed. He wanted to see Hazel. He missed her so much. But did he want her to see him in this state? Sure, he called her when he needed support, but he hadn’t been eating much lately, so his weight had dropped pretty significantly. His hair had grown out and overall, he knew he looked rough all around. He didn’t want her to worry more. “I know,” he finally responded. “I want to see you too. Like I said, we’ll see.”

“Don’t leave me hanging, okay?” She said. Nico couldn’t help but smile a little bit at that. “Alright, I won’t. I promise,” he said softly. He hoped she was smiling then too. They talked for a little while longer, not really about anything in particular. It was nice to just talk about nothing important for a little bit. She told him about her boyfriend, Nico couldn’t remember his name. He knew they met once, and that Nico scared the shit out of the poor guy. He was shy, Hazel had said, and a big softie at heart, which meant Nico’s aura freaked him out. Nico was pretty used to that though. He told her about the new fruit at the grocery store, the new Italian restaurant, and eventually, even, the mysterious boy at the train station. “I don’t know, Hazel, he just seemed…tired. Which, I guess, that makes sense for a med student.”

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Just below them, Nico was bawling his eyes out again. He'd had another nightmare involving his old professor... And his dad. "... He said he'd always protect me, but... When I needed him most..." Hazel sighed on the other side of the call. "I know. It sucks, but at least you have me now." Nico sniffed. "Yeah... It's just... When he started talking to me like that... All that attention, I knew something bad would come of it. I wish the dean had listened to me, maybe then he wouldn't've... Y'know."

Hazel sighed softly. “I’m sorry, Nico. You know, maybe I should come visit. Stay up there for a little while,” she said. Nico frowned and shook his head, even if she couldn’t see it. “No, no, you have school. I couldn’t ask you to miss that to come babysit your brother,” he said. She was too kind to him, Nico couldn’t make her stoop down to the low he was at because he selfishly didn’t want to be alone. His thoughts wandered to the boy with the bright smile at the train station. His soft blue eyes that looked so tired, like they harbored too many secrets. But his smile had been so kind and he seemed like he needed a friend. Not to mention, he was cute. Nico sighed and tried to think about something else. He didn’t need to be thinking about silly things like boys he met at the train station that probably already forgot about him. “I have spring break soon,” Hazel said, bringing him back to the conversation. “And you know I’ve always wanted to see the city.”

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"You're an adult. Go to the grocers and get something." Will sighed, but put his coat on and went back out. He'd forgotten it that morning, but he wouldn't make that mistake again. He ended up in the kosher butcher a block over, closest place for meat, and Luke won't eat a meal without meat. They were having a 2 for 1 oxtail sale, and though he'd never had it, he figured it was the best deal he'd get for that much. The owner even gave him some free beef tallow, just because. He tried to pay, but the owner said it was a mitzvah, that accepting money would only sour it. He was lucky enough to have some random spice packs in the cupboard, chili powder, french onion soup mix, etc, as well as half a bag of instant mashed potatoes that was about to expire, held closed with a chip clip. He boiled some water on the stove, tossed in the potato flakes and a few spices that he figured would work, diced the lettuce, and seared the oxtail in the tallow before putting it in the pot and stirring the whole thing. The result was... Edible. Will grew up learning how to make a lot from a little. His mom would be proud. Luke... Didn't comment. Thankfully.

Will had some homework he needed to do, so after cleaning up and doing the dishes, he went to his room. He was exhausted, and what he really wanted was to just go to bed, but he knew if didn’t at least start his homework, he’d fall behind. He already had a tough time focusing in class (thanks, ADHD) he didn’t want to slack off with his homework too. Even with his accommodations, Will still needed to set aside time to focus and get work done. There was shouting from the living room, which meant it was probably a “gaming” night. Which really just meant Luke would be up yelling at the tv until the early hours of the morning. Will would have to apologize to their neighbors again in the morning. The only reason he and Luke hadn’t been kicked out at this point was that Ms. Deuth was too nice of a woman to complain about them, and the neighbors on the other side had ridiculously loud sex most nights. Will grabbed his headphones and hoped he could at least get something done.

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"Why didn't you call?" "I didn't want to bother you, and besides, there's no reception down there." "Why didn't you try to walk home?" "Because that'd take even longer." And why didn't he leave? Because this is New York, rent is expensive, and Luke was both willing and able to pay the whole bill, aside from utilities. Where'd he get that money? He didn't know, and didn't want to.

It wasn’t Will’s place to ask. Besides, they made it work. Usually Will was gone most of the day anyway because of school, and Luke was gone most nights. Will never asked what he did, if he took night classes or worked night shifts. Hell, for all Will knew Luke could be running an underground fighting ring at night. Will didn’t want to know what brought in the money, he just hoped it kept coming in. “Long as you’re finally here, you can make dinner,” Luke said, seemingly losing interest in grilling Will. Will didn’t point out that it was past conventional dinner time, they didn’t really keep conventional hours anyway. “Did you get groceries?” Will asked. He opened the fridge, and no, the answer was most definitely not. “Why would I do that?” Luke asked. Will sighed and reached into the fridge. “Because the only thing we have is wilted lettuce and a can of Red Bull.”

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Nico sighed. "Just... Back to my apartment. I'll get home just fine, don't worry about me." Will sighed. "Okay, if you're so sure. See you when I se you." He stepped onto the train, disappointed that this respite was over. The minute he stepped into his apartment, a heavy ceramic mug flew past him. "WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?"

“Welcome home, honey,” Will whispered. He bent down to pick up the shattered ceramic pieces. Well, so much for his favorite mug. He sighed and put the pieces in the trash. They went through mugs faster than most people went through toilet paper. He just held back a flinch when Luke came into the room. “Hey,” Will said softly. Luke glowered at him, a look that could wither flowers. Unfortunately, it was one Will was all too used to by this point. He tried for a smile, but he was sure it fell flat. It didn’t seem to have any effect on Luke anyway, he didn’t budge. “The train was delayed,” Will lied. He hoped it would be convincing enough, there were plenty of train delays all the time. “Sorry, I had to wait at the station longer than usual.”

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"Yeah... The worst part is, he'd been decent to me until that point, so it really came out of nowhere. He'd even-... Well, that's not my story to tell, but I thought he'd sympathize with me. Instead, he was upset that I got in the way of a business relationship." Will nodded, but then, the subway announced his train, and he had to part ways with Nico, though dread pooled in his stomach at the thought of going back to his and Luke's apartment.

“Thanks for staying with me,” Will said. “It was…nice.” He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a pleasant conversation with someone. One that didn’t end with accusations and demands and yelling. Well, probably the last time he talked to his mom, which was too long ago. He should give her a call. Nico gave him a little smile, and Will was struck by how cute it was. “Yeah. Be safe getting home, Will. It was…nice,” he parroted Will. Will smiled at that, feeling a little more rejuvenated. “Which way are you heading?” Will asked. “You know, since you made sure I was safe, I should return the favor.” He wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but it felt like the polite thing to say. Plus, he was interested in meeting Nico again, though he didn’t know how their paths might cross.

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"Not... Really. I was, but... I guess you could say I dropped out. I plan on going back, though." Will nodded. "So... A gap year?" "No, not exactly. I dunno when I'll go back. It wasn't really my choice. I guess, technically, it was, but I didn't see any other option. And then of course, my dad cut me off because of it..." He rooted around in his backpack. "Want a granola bar?"

“Oh, um, thanks,” Will said, accepting the snack. He knew he shouldn’t be accepting snacks from strangers, but his stomach and his mind were on different paths today, and his stomach commanded he move before his mind could catch up. Will glanced at the wrapper, at least it was a brand he recognized. “Sounds like you have a pretty complicated relationship with your dad,” Will said. Maybe not the most polite thing to say to a stranger who was being particular nice to him, since Nico winced. “You could…say that,” he said. “Complicated is probably putting it pretty lightly. Strained might be better.” Well, strained paternal relationships was something Will was no stranger too. He was practically an expert in them. It was a parting gift from his difficult father. “I’m sorry,” Will said. “But that I do understand. Dads are the worst.” He hadn’t been expecting the snort from the stranger, but it was oddly endearing.

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"I just.... Have a gut feeling that something bad'll happen to you if I leave you here. Besides, I just got fired, so... I got all the time in the world, really." Will nodded and, against his better judgement, spoke. "From where? I mean, if you wanna tell me." Nico sighed. "This... Italian place. New owners decided I wasn't needed. I mean, the last owner was my dad, so I guess, technically speaking, it was neposism. But like... I was a line cook, not a manager or anything. I have a hard time believing I deserved to get sacked. I've been there since middle school." Nico looked back up. "Sorry, went on a bit of a tangent there. Um, what about you?"

Will felt bad for being so judgmental. Maybe this guy really did have the best intentions. Will wasn’t sure what to think of the guy saying he had a bad feeling about something happening to Will. “I’m a med student.” Nico nodded, looking mildly impressed before picking at the piping on his worn out converse. He didn’t say anything else, and Will figured he was expected to participate in the whole conversation thing. “Um, sorry to hear about you getting fired. That sucks. Even if your dad did own it before the new people came in. Still sucks to be fired from somewhere you’ve been working for a long time.” Will just kinda assumed the guy was around the same age as him. Maybe a bit younger, but not much. “Yeah,” Nico said with a nod. “It does suck. But I guess you can’t be a line cook forever.” Will hummed. It sounded like his parents had money, which would mean this guy could probably do whatever he wanted forever. “Are you in school?” Will asked.

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"No problem, Will. I just... Wanted to make sure you're safe, I guess." Nico's smile was soft as he tucked his knees under his chin. "I'm Nico, by the way. Oh, was that your train?" He asked. "The one that just drove away, I mean." Will heaved a sigh, and nodded. "That sucks, man. But... I can stay with you until the next train going east, if you want."

“Are you sure?” Will asked. “I mean, I’m sure you have somewhere to be.” The kind stranger, Nico, only shrugged. He didn’t seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere, and Will suddenly felt a little wary. This was a complete stranger. Sure the guy was small and kinda scrawny looking, but Will listened to enough true crime podcasts to know a thing or two about kidnappers. They tended to look perfectly average and unassuming. Especially if they were working with a gang or something. This kid could be being used as bait to lure Will somewhere else. He…probably didn’t hold much value (though he knew his mom loved him very much), he was a broke college kid studying medicine. Not exactly a prime suspect for kidnapping and ransom. Still, he would hate for his mom to find out about his disappearance and subsequent murder on the evening news.

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"... -llo? Are... Are you okay?" Will awoke to someone shaking his shoulder, after he'd passed out waiting for his train. He looked worried. It'd... Been a long time since anyone looked at him like that. And that simple fact broke a dam inside him. As he sat back up, he started crying, and once he started, he couldn't stop. The exhaustion, the sadness, the searing pain radiating from carefully hidden bruises, was all too much. "Hey... Hey, it's okay. I'm here for you." The man sat next to Will, dark hair falling into his equally dark eyes.

Will covered his face, trying not to have a complete and total meltdown in public. He had likely missed his train, he was going to be so late getting home. He was sure his roommate wouldn’t notice. He sniffled a few times, glancing at the stranger again. He wasn’t certain why this stranger was sitting next to him, wasn’t sure why the stranger cared at all. But it was…nice, just to have someone else’s company. “I’m sure you have somewhere to get to,” Will said, rubbing his eyes until he saw stars. He was tired now, much more so than before he had passed out, which was weird, but, whatever. His mom would say he was overworking himself. She wasn’t wrong, but he just had so much to do and such little time to get it all done. “I’m Will, by the way. Thanks for waking me up.”

[ask-will-and-nico]

Nico sighed, content, and leaned onto Will's shoulder. "That'd be nice. Thanks." Will wrapped an arm around Nico's shoulders. "Hey, what are boyfriends for?"

-

Nico smiled. "I'd love that. Do you have anything that's not, um... Y'know, dinosaurs? Not that I don't like them, but... I don't think I can handle that kind of fear right now." Will nodded. "Hmm... What about... A League of Their Own?" He asked. Nico shrugged. "What's it about?" "It's a baseball movie." Nico sighed. "That doesn't really answer my question, but... Sure. It sounds fun."

-/-/-

Will hummed. “I’ll go get the player. You can get ready for bed if you want. The bathroom is in the first door on the right heading out of my room if you want a shower,” he said. Nico nodded slowly. Will yawned himself, it had been a pretty chaotic day, and he was feeling it. He was tired. He went back downstairs to dig up the old DVD player and find the movie he mentioned to Nico. Once he located it he made his way back upstairs, smiling when he heard the shower running. Hopefully Nico could start to settle down now.

Will set the player on his bed and pulled out his hearing aids, setting them on the charger. He could hear enough if Nico was beside him, and he’d seen the movie enough times to know what was happening without needing to hear it all. Besides, he could hear the music and action, it was just a bit harder to hear people talking when the noise around them was so much louder.

[ask-will-and-nico]

Did my ask go through? Sorry if it did and you're just overwhelmed haha

Yes! No worries, getting to it now!

[ask-will-and-nico]

After going upstairs to Will's old room, Nico sat on his bed and looked around at the sheer amount of... Stuff. Old baseball equipment, posters for Star Wars, Grease, even... Jurassic Park? "Didn't know you were into dinosaurs." Will shrugged. "Yeah, it's another spin of mine." ".... Spin?" Nico asked. "Yeah, short for 'special interest'."

“I’ve never heard that term,” Nico said. Will hummed and smiled. He’d come in a few minutes after Nico, grabbing some soft lounging pants to lay around in. “Yeah. I always thought the old CGI stuff was really cool. You know, now that we’re here, we can watch some movies and stuff. I can show you some of my favorites that we don’t have at camp,” he offered. Will sat on the bed next to Nico. He gently shoulder checked Nico and gave him a reassuring smile. He hoped Nico was feeling better now that they were at Naomi’s house. He seemed a little less tense, which Will was grateful for.

“Some movies might be…nice. Relaxing,” Nico said. Will nodded along. He was fairly certain his mom had a portable DVD player, and they could even watch movies in bed. “I’m glad. We have a little player too, we can get all snuggly in bed and set it up and watch a bunch of movies,” Will offered.

[ask-will-and-nico]

(sorry to ask but did you get my ask?)

Yes! I do have one ask in my inbox! Getting to it rn!

[ask-will-and-nico]

Will only got a little bit, since he already felt like he was about to pop, but it was still as amazing as ever. Nico tried some, and holy crap. Was it a bit sweeter than he was used to? Yes. Did he mind? Absolutely not. The caramelized pecans got stuck in his teeth, but he figured it just meant he could taste it for longer. Even the crust was good, and that was usually his least favorite part about pie. "Thank you, Miss. This is really good."

Naomi shook her head. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Naomi, honey?” She asked. Nico shrugged, because he didn’t have an answer, because he wouldn’t call her by her first name. His mother would roll over in her grave if Nico ever called an older adult but their first name. Nico finished his piece too soon, and he mourned the loss for a second. “There’s plenty more in the fridge for either of you boys if you get hungry later. And I stocked up on snacks too. Help yourselves. Nothin’s off limits in this house, ‘cept any funny business,” Naomi said. Nico felt his cheeks warm up at the implications of that. And what it reminded him of. Will cleared Nico’s plate and took it to the sink, cleaning the dishes despite his mother telling him he didn’t have to. Will thanked her for the meal, and Nico did too.

[ask-will-and-nico]

"Yeah, I think that'd be best." Will stacked up his plate, and Nico did the same, though a bit more restrained. Naomi shook her head, smiling fondly. "You don't have to worry about takin' too much around me, honey." Nico swallowed his bite of macaroni and cheese. "I'm not, I'm just saving room for dessert."

“Smart boy,” Naomi said with a grin. “Always know the best is yet to come, hm? Well lucky you, I made pie.” Nico smiled. He hadn’t had Naomi’s pie before, but Will always spoke so highly of it, he assumed it would be as good as nectar. “Mama makes the best pies,” Will said with a smile. He shoveled his food into his mouth at a frightening pace, though all it took was a scolding from Naomi for him to duck his head and slow down. Nico snorted at the interaction. Will was always eating too fast at camp, eager to get back into the infirmary as fast as possible. Nico was constantly remind him to slow down, that he was going to make himself sick if he wasn’t careful.

By the time the pie came out of the oven, Will had already eaten too much, but he still insisted on a piece of pie. Nico, who had had a more conservative amount of food for dinner, was eager to try Naomi’s pie. “Now, it’s hot, boys,” Naomi warned, giving them each a piece of pie. “And don’t you worry about dishes after. I’m sure you’re both exhausted and ready for a nap. Or just to go to bed.”

[ask-will-and-nico]

When they were at the edge of camp, Nico summoned Jules, and didn't even feel too woozy afterwards. It was a really good pain day, barely a twinge the whole walk, and he couldn't help but marvel at his good luck so far. Will was honestly kind of sad to see that Nico was so relieved not to be in pain, that should be the default, but he had to remind himself that... Well, it wasn't the default for Nico. And as crappy as that was, they both needed to celebrate times where his pain was mild.

Will held Nico's hand tight, tracing the lines of his haphazard surgery. His new fingertips held tiny scars, and would never grow nails. Will wondered if Nico was insecure about that. They painted their nails sometimes together, not as a regular thing, but... Just on special events. Well, they'd talk about it later.

-

The two of them were on the road for a few hours, though Will had packed enough snacks that they didn't need to stop anywhere for food. Soon enough, they were at Naomi's house. She hugged Will and Nico tightly, ushering them inside. She'd made barbecue and pecan pie, which Nico had never actually had before. He was excited to try it.

-/-/-

Will was instantly more relaxed once they were at his mom’s. Nico seemed to be too, which was good. That had been the whole goal of traveling here. Naomi had food waiting for them once they stepped inside, and Will felt his chest warm with affection. “Thank you, Mama,” he said as she set plates in front of both Will and Nico. His mother smiled at him. “I got the guest room all set up, though I figure you boys’ll probably sleep together in Will’s room,” Naomi said with a knowing look. Will felt his cheeks warm, even if his mom was right about them sleeping together, it was still a little weird.

“Thank you, Ms. Solace,” Nico said softly. Since Will and Nico had been dating for years, Naomi had insisted that Nico just call her Naomi, but Nico down right refused, saying he would never cross his mother like that. Naomi always just huffed and said he didn’t need such strict manners around her. Will thought it was silently cute, the way Nico always put on his absolute best behavior when he was around Naomi, even if it wasn’t necessarily. “I’m sure you boys are tired, too. Why don’t you rest after you eat?”