#bruised knuckle ch 1 pt 4

[acherontic-visions]

BRUISED KNUCKLES (ch 1 pt 4)

content warning: swearing, underage drinking

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The door opened and Spencer lifted his head from his guitar, his eyes lighting up when he saw Elliot stood behind his brother. He was stood outside, Lucan spoke to him a little but he’s wiping down the kitchen so I brought him up, Emrys was grinning and pushed Elliot towards his younger brother.

“Sorry, the only people that come around here are Nox and Alder, their brothers or Lucan’s friends so he’s excited.” Spencer placed his guitar on the floor and made space for Elliot on the sofa. “It’s okay! He said that your other friends were coming over.”

“Yeah, I had a decent week at school so we’re having Mexican and a bit of a sesh,” he paused and glanced over at Elliot who was texting someone, “if you’re okay with that?”

“Oh… like alcohol and stuff?”

Spencer nodded, “Yeah… we always end up having parties and stuff on a Friday night. You can stay over if you need to.”

Emrys had disappeared into the kitchen to make dinner after turning on the television for the two teenagers. Although, they didn’t really pay attention to it, instead, Elliot was asking about Spencer’s band and the instruments he played.

 “I play guitar, bass, piano and violin and I sing,” Spencer replied to the multiple questions thrown at him by the other boy, “they help me manage my anger, I guess. I can sit for hours just teaching myself songs and composing."

“You write your own songs?” Elliot sat up abruptly; his mouth fell open in shock causing Spencer to chuckle.

“Yeah, do you play anything?”

Elliot nodded, “I can play the guitar but I’m not very good, I’ve only just started learning.”

The conversation between the two came to a halt when the front door swung open and Lucan strolled in, followed by two other teenagers.

“Yo, Spence,” the taller of the two shouted, he had a thick Eastern European accent and stood almost as tall as Lucan. The other had looped his arm around the taller man’s waist and nodded a hello to the teenagers on the sofa.

Spencer’s face lit up as he jumped over the back of the sofa, grabbing the two other boys into a hug. “This week has been hell, I feel like I haven’t seen you two for like three years.”

“Nah, you just missed this ass,” the smaller male made a point of slapping his behind before he burst out laughing. “Who’s this?” he asked, still laughing and gesturing to Elliot.

“Elliot, he’s a school friend,” Spencer laughed before turning to his friend and pointing at the two boys in the doorway, “Nox is the giant and Alder is the arsehole.”

Before Nox and Alder could attack Elliot with questions, Emrys walked into the living room, wiping his hands on his apron and pulling his partner down into a kiss before signing to him. “Em said that dinner will be done in an hour so go into Zaz’s room so Lucan and I can-“ Lucan trailed off and shot Emrys a glare-, “I’m not saying that.”

Spencer grimaced and ushered his friends into his room and muttered, “You do not want to be exposed to whatever those two get up to,” earning a few laughs from the others.

Dinner was amazing; Emrys’ cooking was always good but tonight he had exceeded everyone’s expectations. Spencer had taken to translating the compliments from Elliot and the others, causing his brother to blush as he attempted to say that his cooking wasn’t that good.

After they ate, Lucan took the plates into the kitchen to wash up and Emrys signed something about checking his stock and went downstairs to the café. The teenagers went back into Spencer’s room, picking up their respective instruments and strummed to a few songs they had been practising as Elliot sat down on Spencer’s bed, filming them secretly.

“Are you filming us?” Alder asked, making Elliot jump and drop his phone. “Oh, yeah… I hope that’s okay? I really like making videos about my life and it’s a special interest of mine!”

“No way! Let’s see?” the three band mates all piled on top of each other, eager to see the video that Elliot had taken.

As the hours went by, Elliot became more and more comfortable with the group and he was leaning on Spencer’s shoulder as the four of them watched the film he had chosen. Nox and Alder were cuddled up together on the sofa in the corner of the room, not really paying attention to the film and instead were whispering to each other.

Spencer shifted slightly and lifted his arm up, placing it around Elliot’s shoulders and nuzzled into his hair. Wolf whistles from the sofa made Spencer lift his head up, flipping of the couple who were laughing at him.

His bedroom door opened and Lucan announced that he had just been on an alcohol run, causing the band to leap up and run out of the room with Elliot trailing behind. “I’ll have a vodka and coke,” Spencer shouted into the kitchen as he fell onto the sofa, rolling himself a cigarette before turning to Elliot, “you want one?”

Elliot shook his head and sat down next to the other, “I don’t smoke,” he mumbled.

“Fair enough, it’s bad for you,” Spencer laughed as he took his drink from his brother’s hand. “You want to accompany me outside? I usually smoke in my room but I won’t if you don’t like it,” he walked over to the balcony and lit his cigarette.

“Do your friends smoke?” Elliot asked as he joined Spencer outside.

“Yeah, I think they’re giving us some space though so they won’t come out.”

Why?”

Spencer shrugged and leant over the railing, looking down into the street, “I’ve never really invited anyone over. I only know those two because Lucan went to school with Nox’s brothers.”

“I don’t really have any friends either. My sister has a lot but she’s an utter bitch.”

“She is an utter bitch,” Spencer laughed as he stubbed out his cigarette and flicked it onto the street below.

“Yep. When we were in year eight she told everyone that I was gay and I lost all my friends, that’s when all the bullying started…” Elliot trailed off, his eyes tearing up a little as he remembered all the things Izzy had done to him.

The two of them stood in silence for a few moments before Spencer turned and punched the wall by the balcony doors, “don’t worry about those fuckers anymore, you’re my friend and I will fuck them up if they start anything.”

He glanced at Elliot who hadn’t said anything, slightly worried his outburst had scared the individual but was shocked when the other giggled and took the hand that Spencer punched the wall with. “I’d like that,” he whispered as he inspected the other’s knuckles, “you need to wash your hand, it’s bleeding.”

It was Spencer’s turn to laugh and he nodded, walking back inside and shaking his head as he saw his brother and Alder dancing in the living room. “We were gone for like ten minutes,” he sighed, shoving his hand in his pocket and walking into the bathroom to wipe away the blood on his knuckles.

Elliot made his way into the kitchen where Nox was making drinks, smiling when he heard the taller boy singing in his home language. “That’s a pretty song,” he mumbled.

Nox spun around and grinned, “One of my brother’s sings it all the time, must of got stuck in my head,” he held up a glass and nodded towards the alcohol on the side, “you want a drink?"

“Sure! I haven’t drank alcohol before though”

Nox gasped and grabbed his chest, “What? Never? You’re like sixteen! How have you not drank?”

“I don’t really go out much or having friends to drink with. My parents are weird about drinking but they let my sister drink when she goes to parties.” Nox nodded and passed Elliot a drink who took a small sip and scrunched up his nose at the taste.

“Did I make it too strong? I can add more coke to it?”

Elliot shook his head and smiled, “I’ll get used to it.”

The rest of the night was spent with everyone dancing; Nox had brought the drinks into the living room so they didn’t have to keep taking trips into the kitchen to top up their alcohol intake. Elliot was cuddled up to Spencer who had his arm around his shoulder and was stroking idle patterns in the blonde’s upper arm.

Emrys tapped Lucan’s arm and glanced over to the two cuddled up on the sofa, smiling at how comfortable Spencer looked with his new friend. Alder and Nox had disappeared into Spencer’s room for half an hour only to return wearing each other’s shirts with a new selection of hickeys adorning their necks.

“You better not of got all your man juice on my bed,” Spencer hissed as the two sat down on the armchair by the television, Nox grinned and shrugged before tipping his boyfriend’s head up to kiss him.

“Great… guess I’m sleeping in cum tonight…” he muttered, tapping Elliot’s shoulder and whispering, “Do you want another drink?”

Elliot nodded and moved so Spencer could get up. He couldn’t help but to laugh as Spencer stumbled towards the table, his smile dropping as Spencer stood still and jolted violently. Lucan had turned his attention from Emrys and was now focusing on Spencer who, after a few moments, turned and smiled, “I’m good, just a seizure.”

He grabbed two drinks and sat back down next to Elliot, who gave him a concerned look. After ruffling the concerned boy’s hair he whispered, “I’m epileptic. The seizures get worse when I’m drunk but don’t worry about it okay?” he had to suppress the urge to kiss Elliot’s forehead.

“Okay, you should tell me what to do when you have them but later not now.”

Spencer laughed as the other slurred and stumbled over his words, pulling the other into him as he sipped his drink. “You feeling okay, man?” he smiled, running his fingers through Elliot’s hair.

“Yeah, I’m good. Nox and Alder are sleeping.”

“So they are… it is like three in the morning.”

Emrys kicked Spencer’s leg and signed, we’re going to bed and you two should as well. Spencer gave his brother a thumbs up and stood up, pulling Elliot up and taking him to his bedroom.

When they got into his room, Spencer tossed the other some pyjama’s and stripped off his clothes, getting into bed as Elliot got changed. He rolled a cigarette and nudged Elliot as he got into the bed, “you mind if I smoke?”

“Go for it."

He lit the cigarette and pulled Elliot into a hug, he felt like they were moving a little too fast but he didn’t really care, he felt comfortable. “Thank you for today, it was really nice and you’re really comfy.”

Spencer chuckled, “how are you more adorable when you’re drunk?”

“I’m adorable?” Elliot’s voice was muffled and Spencer could tell that he was on the brink of sleep. He stubbed out his cigarette and turned off his lamp, “yeah, you’re adorable. Now shut up and go to sleep.”

It didn’t take long before Spencer felt Elliot’s breathing change and he nuzzled into the other’s hair, pulling him closer to him as he let his eyes drift shut. He could get used to this.

[i-write-shakespeare-not-disney]

Warm Me Up pt. 17

Click Here for Ch. 1         Click Here for Ch. 5

Click Here for Ch. 2         Click Here for Ch. 6

Click Here for Ch. 3         Click Here for Ch. 7

Click Here for Ch. 4         Click Here for Ch. 8

Click Here for Ch. 9         Click Here for Ch. 13

Click Here for Ch. 10       Click Here for Ch. 14

Click Here for Ch. 11       Click Here for Ch. 15

Click Here for Ch. 12       Click Here for Ch. 16

The break had been over quick. Part of him was dreading the drive back, and he hated having to say goodbye to his family. Of course, the other side of him knew he’d have Nico to go back to, and that was at least something to look forward to.

He left early, hoping to get back before the sun started setting. He arrived at the school and managed to pack away all his things before plopping onto his bed in exhaustion. He was wondering when his other friends would get back when he heard a knock at the door.

He stood up, slightly disoriented, and opened it. Nico was standing at the door looking just as disheveled and tired, but the second their eyes met, they began to smile. Will pulled him into his arms, holding him tight. He smelled familiar. He felt familiar. As he pulled away, Nico cupped his face and pulled him into a kiss.

Everything stopped for a moment. The second their lips met, it was like they were the only two people in existence. He’d missed him so much. So much more than he’d realized.

Refusing to break their kiss, Will tugged him in, pressing against his lower back. When the door shut, he pulled Nico up so his legs wrapped around him, giving him a slight height advantage. Nico chuckled against his lips, but Will wouldn’t let him speak.

Nico was pressed between the door and Will, his arms draped around Will’s shoulders. “I missed you,” he breathed between kisses.

“I missed you too. So much,” Will answered, biting Nico’s lip gently. He raised an eyebrow and Nico blushed. “When did you get to campus?”

“About five minutes ago?” he breathed. “I had to see you. I know we talked, but… I wanted to know we were okay.”

Will sighed and put one hand under Nico’s chin, rubbing his thumb along his lower lip. “We are perfectly fine, darling. No worries.” Nico smiled and kissed him again.

Suddenly the door thudded against them and Nico yelped in pain as his head was hit. “Oh my God, tell me you two aren’t banging against the door,” Cecil’s muffled voice pleaded.

Before Will could answer, Nico started moaning dramatically, calling Will’s name, which only made Will turn bright red. “Nico!” Cecil whined. He laughed and hopped back onto the floor. They moved so Cecil could come in and he gave them an exasperated look. “You should know our dorm neighbors walked by during your little moans,” he said.

“That just gives Will a good rep,” he said, nudging Will who doubted he could get any redder. Then Nico winked at him, and he found he could.

“Shut up,” he said pushing him away. But his mischievous boyfriend only laughed. It was a sound Will missed hearing in person, without static muffling it on the phone. “How was break, Cecil?”

“Great. What about you guys?”

“It was great.”

“Yeah mine too,” Nico muttered with a roll of his eyes. Will frowned but didn’t pry in front of Cecil. “Hey, Will, I have to get my shit into my dorm room, do you want to come with?” He nodded and waved at Cecil. He was tired, but he figured he could crash on Nico’s bed while he unpacked.

As they walked down the hall, their hands automatically found each other’s and interlocked. “So how was your break? Really?” he asked. Nico glanced at him questioningly with mysterious eyes so incredibly brown Will wondered how the color managed to distinguish from black. “You have this look on your face when you mention it. You always had this tone in your voice when we talked. What happened?” He saw the clench of his jaw and hesitated. “Do you… want to talk about it?”

Nico cleared his throat and smiled stiffly. “Will, the first thing we did this year was get into an argument. And I missed you. So no, it wasn’t the best break.”

“Is… that all it is?”

“Yeah,” he assured. But his eyes were distant, flickering around the campus they both already knew like the back of their hands. Will nodded and lowered his head. “Uh, hey can you give me a sec?” he said suddenly. Will stammered an okay before Nico pulled away, walking briskly to a group of people.

He walked over to a bench so he didn’t look like an idiot standing in the middle of the walkway, his eyes on Nico.

He watched as Nico tapped someone on the shoulder and pulled him aside. Will couldn’t tell who it was because his face was obscured. But Nico was talking to him, his stance tense. He was so close to the guy. Part of him feared he might kiss him.

In fact, he was so busy expecting a kiss that when Nico grabbed the guy by his jacket, it took him a moment to process the fact that Nico had actually shoved him violently against the brick wall.

The gasps and exclamations of the other kids were what pushed Will into moving. He rushed toward Nico and stopped when he saw him hitting the same boy from the café. Will had forgotten his name, but it was the same one. He was sure of it.

Nico was shouting angrily, his face contorted in anger. The boy’s nose had a heavy stream of blood pouring out. “Someone stop him!” a girl shouted.

“You really think anyone’s stupid enough to get in the middle of that?” someone else said, their voice rigid.

Nico threw the guy to the ground and raised his fist again, but Will couldn’t stand to see him like that. He rushed forward and hauled him off despite the way he tried to pull away from Will. He was strong, and simply grabbing his arms wasn’t working.

Will grabbed him with both arms around his waist, pulling him forcefully.

“If you ever try to touch me against my will again, I will fucking end you, you piece of shit!” he snarled, still trying to break free and lunge forward.

That’s when it clicked for Will. Percy had mentioned an old mess around having messed with Nico at the club. Percy must have told him, and now Nico was fighting back. “Nico, darling, come on, leave it alone,” Will begged. “That’s enough, baby, come on, let’s go.” But Nico’s eyes were wide and angry, focused on Lucas who was groaning on the ground, half-unconscious. “Nico, please,” Will insisted, straining to keep Nico’s arms down. “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Slowly, Nico began to relax, only his heavy breaths and bloody hands as any proof of the fight. His lip curled and he spat at Lucas angrily. Lucas opened his eyes as someone helped him up and looked at Nico. “Go to hell,” he croaked.

“Fuck you,” he hissed back.

“Nico, let’s go,” Will snapped, pulling him away. He tugged him along until they reached the dorm hall. Then he had Nico sit on the bench. “Let me see your hand,” he said quietly. Nico lifted his hand and Will winced at the sight. “Can you move it?”

Nico spread his fingers and winced. “Ouch.”

“Where?” Nico gestured to one of his fingers. “Did you feel a pop or snap?”

“I was punching someone, Will, I wasn’t really paying attention to my hand’s feeling.” Will narrowed his eyes and prodded his hand. “Fuck!” he hissed as he touched near the knuckle.

“It warm. And it’s swelling. Move this finger.” Nico tried, but it was slow and trembling. “I think you broke your knuckle.”

“Great,” he muttered. “Well, maybe I’ll get out of assignments.” He stood and started for the doors, but Will pulled him back.  

“Where do you think you’re going? You broke a bone, or at least sprained it. You need to go to a hospital.” Nico scoffed and started to protest, but Will wasn’t having it. He grabbed Nico by the shoulders and glared at him. “Don’t give me your tough guy bullshit right now, we’re going to the hospital.”

Nico’s eyes widened and his eyebrows went up. “Uh. Okay.” Will huffed and pushed him toward the parking lot.

“Keys, please,” he said. Nico gave him his keys and got into the passenger side. Will started the car and gave Nico a glance. “What’s with the face?”

He shook his head. “I had a reason to hit him. I should’ve done more than give him a bloody nose.”

“By the way he spoke, I think you dislocate his jaw too, Neeks. And I know. I know you had a reason.” He sighed and shook off the residual nervousness. “It just came as a surprise.” Nico hummed and looked at his hand. Will glanced over and felt even more worried when he noticed it was bruising.

They went into the ER entrance and Will signed them in, receiving a small ice pack for Nico’s hand before he joined Nico. They sat in cold, stiff plastic chairs in the waiting room. A little boy was leaning against his mom, looking tired and feverish with another older girl in the next seat reading a book. A man with a baby was pacing back and forth trying to get the baby to stop crying. An old couple was sitting, hunched and staring at nothing in particular.

“I wonder what’s wrong with the baby,” Nico murmured. “You’re good with kids, why don’t you see?”

Will chuckled. “I don’t think he’d appreciate a stranger asking to hold his baby.” Nico shrugged and scratched his arm with his good hand. The baby kept crying and the father looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown. Will glanced at Nico and Nico prodded him gently.

“We’ll be here for a while. ERs are always like this.”

Deciding against wondering how Nico knew that, Will stood and walked over hesitantly to the man. “Excuse me, sir?” The man looked up at him. “Could I help?”

“How?” Will held his hands out and the man hesitantly handed the shrieking baby over.

Will cradled it and felt its forehead. He frowned and asked for a damp cloth. The man took out a baby rag and wet it with a water fountain. Will placed it on the baby’s head and began rubbing its arm gently. The crying continued, but softer. “Your baby has a really high fever, obviously, but that’s dangerous especially before three months. It’s probably an infection, what with the cold weather. But keep that there,” he said gesturing on the forehead. “It’ll at least help the fever from going up. The baby’s still in pain, though, so just be patient for the doctors.”

“Thank you,” he said looking at his baby with worry. “I’ve been trying to get her quieter for an hour.”

Will smiled and walked back to the chair. A few minutes later, the father was called in with the baby. Nico leaned into him and sighed. “I’m tired,” he whispered.

“Me too.” He wrapped an arm around Nico and tried to distract himself.

Nico kept glancing at the little boy who was now laying on his mother’s lap. She was running her hand through his hair, looking at him worriedly in that way mothers did whenever their kids were sick. His cheeks were bright red, his eyelids opening and closing slowly. He clung to her. The girl glanced over at the boy and sighed. She reached over and touched his cheek.

And Nico envied him. Envied that he had a mother and a sister who cared, who were looking at him with those worried looks. Nico couldn’t remember the last time his mama had looked at him that way. And until Will, he couldn’t remember the last time anyone fussed over him that way. Nico forced himself to look away as the pain in his hand began to spread.

But God, it had been worth it.

Finally, half an hour later, they were called in by a nurse who led Nico to a room. “What’s going on?” the nurse asked.

Nico looked at him incredulously. “Are you kidding? My hand is swollen and my knuckle is bruised and you’re asking what’s going on?”

“Nico,” Will warned. “He got into a fight. The knuckle area heated up with the rush of blood, it started swelling, and he couldn’t move his finger very well. I figured he broke it. And now it’s bruising, so. The swelling went down a little with the small ice pack the receptionist gave me, but….” He shrugged and gestured to Nico’s hand.

“Broken? It might be a sprain,” the nurse suggested.

“Whatever the hell it is, can you just fix it?” Nico grumbled. Will pinched him.

“Yes, but the guy he fought had a dislocated jaw. Knuckles can break if you hit the jaw bone hard enough and without a proper fist.” Nico glared at his boyfriend and rolled his eyes.

The nurse smiled and Nico frowned, resisting the urge to kick his shin. “You a med student? You sound experienced.”

“Uh, pre-med,” Will acknowledged. Nico rolled his eyes and slouched down into his seat, glaring at the nurse.

“So why the fight?” the nurse asked, taking Nico’s vitals.

“Does it matter?” he muttered.

“Just wondering if it was worth a broken bone.” Nico narrowed his eyes and his leg twitched. “Okay. We’ll get you an x-ray in a bit. Doctor will be right in to take you.” He nodded at Nico and smiled at Will before walking out.

A few moments later, a woman in a white coat walked in and smiled. “This way, Mr. di Angelo,” she said.

“Can I go with?” Will asked.

“We’ll only be a moment,” she assured. Will bit his lip and stayed where he was which Nico felt slightly panicked about. He hated hospitals. He followed the doctor with a churning stomach and kept quiet throughout the whole process. “Okay you can go back to the room you were just in.” Nico nodded and walked back. As he went into the room, he saw the nurse leaning against the wall with a clipboard in his hands, talking to Will.

“You’d be great, I really think so.”

“I don’t know. It’s not like-”

“Don’t you have a patient to see?” Nico snapped, interrupting his boyfriend. The nurse looked up and nodded.

“Yep. You. Sit.” Nico remained standing and the nurse chuckled. “Suit yourself.” He took his hand and started dabbing it with an ointment. “I was just telling your friend-”

“Boyfriend.”

The nurse smiled, fighting back a chuckle. “I see. Well, I was just telling your boyfriend I thought he should apply for an internship here at the hospital. It helps a lot with experience and hours.” Nico glanced at Will who shrugged and looked at the hand the nurse was bandaging lightly. “Ah, one moment,” he said, walking out of the room.

He looked back at Will and opened his mouth, but Will cut him off. “If you tell me I shouldn’t try to apply just because you’re jealous of the nurse, I will be the next person needing a hand x-ray.”

Nico raised his eyebrows and smirked. “Actually, I was going to ask if you wanted to do that.” Will thought for a moment and nodded. “Then go for it. God knows they need people who actually care in these places.” He walked over and seated himself in Will’s lap. “And while the amount of people who will try to flirt with you with increase exponentially, I’m going to swallow my pride and ignore it. Besides, I’d love to hear how many times you say, ‘Sorry I have an amazing, hot boyfriend.’” Will laughed and shook his head. He kissed Nico lightly and wrapped his arms around him. “Though I do feel like kicking Nurse McDreamy.”

The nurse walked back in and showed them the x-rays. “It’s not a severe break. A splint should do, but if it hurts or gets worse, come back. It’s just a crack in the bone.”

“That’s not severe?” Nico asked.

“It could’ve broken completely and fractured further into small pieces or splintered,” Will said. “That would’ve called for a cast or maybe surgery.”

The nurse smiled and started to help Nico into his brace. “Listen to your boyfriend. He knows his stuff.” He winked at Nico and Nico glared at him. “There you go. Want a lollipop?”

“If I hit you, do I get fined?”

“Your hand’s in a splint,” the nurse pointed out.

“My foot isn’t.”

“Okay, so we’re leaving. Thank you. And I’ll be sure to apply for the internship,” Will said, nudging Nico along. “Bye, thank you so much.” The nurse laughed and waved as they left. “Nico, what am I going to do with you?” he asked in exasperation.

Nico pulled him aside before getting into the car and wrapped his good arm around him. “Mm. You could hug me and kiss me and make sure my hand gets better. How’s that sound?” Will smiled and Nico felt his breath hitch. He bit his lip before pulling Will into a kiss. It felt weird to have a splint. His hand was bulky and awkward, and as much as he wanted to pull Will closer, he couldn’t.

“Sounds good to me,” he smiled.

They drove back to the school and Will helped him tote his stuff back to his dorm room. Nico didn’t bother unpacking. He just left the suitcase under his bed and climbed into bed. He had driven for a long time, he got into a fight, and had spent hours at the hospital. He was exhausted. “Babe,” he called tiredly. Will looked over at him and tilted his head. “Lay down with me. I miss sleeping next to you.”

The blush that Nico was so used to seeing in his freckled cheeks didn’t fail to appear at his words, and Nico loved it. Will walked over to him and laid down. Nico laid his head on his chest, using him as a pillow. He could hear his heartbeat and it calmed him.

“Nico?” he whispered. He hummed. “How often do you get as angry as you got today?”

Nico opened his eyes and stared at the opposite wall, covered in posters. “I told you I’m temperamental,” he whispered.

“I know. But… how often?” Nico shrugged, not wanting to look at him. He felt ashamed. “Oh.”

Nico bit his lip and held onto Will tighter, hoping his arms didn’t stop holding him, protecting him. “Did I scare you?” he asked softly. Will didn’t answer, so Nico lifted his head to look at him. “I don’t want to scare you. I’d never get like that with you. It does take a lot to piss me off to that point. But I’d never hurt you.”

“I know.” Will lifted a hand to caress Nico’s cheek. “You don’t have to look so worried,” he murmured with a smile. “I know.” He sighed and furrowed his eyebrows. “I’m just… the look on your face. I’m so used to your eyes being warm. When you were beating Lucas up…. They looked cold. Detached. That’s what scared me. That you weren’t yourself.”

Nico shook his head and gripped the hand at his cheek, pulling it to his lips to kiss it. “I’m sorry,” he said. He rolled over so he was next to Will instead of on him, and he pulled his arm around him. “I’ll be better,” he promised. “Just stay with me. I feel… safe with you. I know I don’t have to worry or get angry about anything when we’re like this.”

Will’s arms tightened around him and Nico sighed softly. For the rest of the night, Will held him, and helped Nico feel safe and warm. He protected Nico from himself and everything else.

***

The next day, Will hovered. He made sure Nico didn’t struggle to change or to brush his teeth or anything else. It got old really fast, and Nico stopped him before leaving the room. “Will, baby, can you look at me?” He did, confused, his eyes bright and innocent. “Stop babying me. I can do things for myself. I have one bad hand, but everything else works.” He winked at him and kissed him lightly. “Everything.”

Will rolled his eyes, but the blush in his cheeks gave away his embarrassment. “Enough with the sexual innuendos, please.”

They went to the café and sat down on the long bench, leaning against each other with a muffin and a drink in front of them. Nico was about to ask Will to tell him about his break when Leo and Percy slid into the chairs across from them.

“I heard you beat the shit out of Lucas,” Leo said, his eyes wide.

“Is it true?” Percy asked.

Nico frowned and lifted his right hand, showing off his brace.

“Holy shit,” they said together. “I heard he’d be out for the first week. His face is all messed up,” Leo said, more in awe than worry.

“Serves him right,” Percy muttered. He crossed his arms and looked at Nico worriedly. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Will dragged me to the hospital though.”

“You have a broken knuckle!” he exclaimed. Nico snorted and Leo and Percy smiled. “Anyways, Nico… won’t get in trouble, right? It’s not like in high school when counselors called you down and stuff.”

Leo and Percy looked at Nico then each other. “Don’t think so. Unless he tries to file for assault, but… that’d be a blow to his frail masculinity,” Percy said in a flat tone. “And even if he does Nico could retaliate.”

“With what?” Leo asked.

“Nothing,” Nico snarled quickly. He glared at Percy whose eyes darted away. “I can pay whatever fine they try to give me. I can say I attacked in self-defense.”

“There were a lot of witnesses, Neeks,” Will murmured. Nico rolled his eyes. “Why don’t we just… not worry until the problem arises?”

“I like that idea,” Nico approved. “Besides, I have new classes to stress over, I don’t have time for idiots like Lucas.” He bit into the muffin and shrugged. “Did everyone else get back?” Percy nodded, then Leo.

“Actually, I came down here to invite you guys to another party.” Nico felt Will tense next to him. “This one’s a celebration. Sort of?” Leo looked to Percy for help.

“It’s kind of a goodbye to break. So it’s not a celebration, but our last chance to raise hell before hitting the books,” he clarified. “It’s just to have fun, no one has to get drunk or anything.”

“Yeah because every time someone gets drunk, something ends up happening,” Will muttered, before taking a gulp of his drink. Nico glanced at him and Percy cleared his throat awkwardly. “I don’t know, I’m still really tired. I want to work on the resume to apply for a hospital internship.” Nico frowned and leaned into him slightly, a silent question. “Neeks, if you want to go that’s fine.”

“We’re a couple. I can’t go to a party alone if we can go together,” he pointed out.

“Nice save,” Percy commented. “Annabeth tried that on me once, but I failed the test.” He shuddered and shook his head. “Anyway, it’s just an invite. A suggestion for something to do.” He stood and gave them a tense smile. “I’m going to go find Annabeth. See you guys around.”

“So we haven’t let that go?” Leo questioned. Nico and Will bother looked at him questioningly. “Just asking. I mean, you guys weren’t dating yet, and Percy was drunk-”

“Let’s not,” Nico interrupted, sitting up, feeling uneasy. “That was months ago. Besides, I’m not going if Will isn’t.”

Leo nodded and shrugged. “Fair enough. Okay, I’ll leave, I feel like I interrupted something. See you guys later!” He smiled and dashed away.

Nervously, Nico glanced at Will and bit his lip. “You okay?” Will nodded. “We could go on a date,” he suggested softly. “Like… breakfast at midnight. We can hang out at IHOP at one or two in the morning. Eat never ending pancakes and hot chocolate.” He pecked his cheek and hummed. “How does that sound?”

“Long overdue,” he whispered with a small smile. “I’d like that.” Nico smiled and chuckled as he leaned into him.

Throughout the day, Nico seemed both distant and attentive at the same time. He would evade any questions Will asked, but asked several of his own and had Will go off on tangents each time. Anytime Will tried to turn it back to him, Nico teased him for not answering then changed the subject.

It seemed like he was simply refusing to talk about himself and Will wasn’t sure why.

click here for Ch. 18