Percy Jackson/Solangelo Oneshots

Keep Reading, Nico

"You always sleep in so late." Will brushed a lock of black hair from Nico's face. The other boy lazily opened his eyes, then closed them again. 

"Go 'way," Nico mumbled. He turned his back to Will and pulled the covers over his head. 

"I've got you a present," Will sang. The lump under the blanket moved, then Nico removed the covers from his face, his eyes on Will. 

"What?" Will clucked his tongue and leaned forward. 

"Kiss first." Nico rolled his eyes but leaned forward and kissed Will gently, then pulled away. 

"Okay," Will said. "I know you love to read so I got you this." Will set a book in Nico's lap. Nico sat up against the headboard and Will squeezed in next to him. He watched as Nico flipped the book over and examined the cover. 

"The Outsiders?" Then Nico noticed the tips of the colorful sticky notes. He moved to open the book to the first sticky note, but Will stopped him. 

"You have to read it! There's a sticky note at each chapter."  Nico glanced at Will then settled into his side. Will wrapped an arm around Nico and they both got comfortable. Nico started to read when Will nudged him. 

"Read aloud," he whispered. Nico cleared his throat and started again.

"When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home. I was wishing I looked like . . ." Nico kept reading aloud, Will rested his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. Nico would occasionally pause to rest his voice but quickly continued. He made it through chapter one and at the end he found a green sticky note with "I love you" written on it. Nico glanced at Will who was smiling then continued to chapter two. 

Nico found notes like this at the end of every chapter. "I love you", "you are enough", "you are special", "I love your smile". All different kinds of notes and when he reached chapter six he had to stop to give his voice a break. 

Nico set the book down and tilted his head back to look at his boyfriend. 

"Is there a reason you're doing this?" he asked. He appreciated the gesture, but he felt Will was doing it for a reason. Although he wouldn't put it past Will to be doing this simply to be nice, the smile on the blonde's face said there was a reason. 

"I just love you," Will answered. 

Later that night with Will asleep next to him, Nico reached for the book and continued to read, this time in his head. He read more notes which all had cheesy but loving sayings on them. In chapter eleven Nico found another note: I hope you say yes. Nico paused, trying to think of what the note could mean, and when he couldn't guess he continued onto the last chapter. 

And at the last chapter written in Will's messy handwriting was: Will you marry me?

Nico's heart stopped. He looked over at Will who was still sleeping. Should he wake him? Nico put the sticky note back in the book, along with the sticky note from chapter eleven which he placed in the same spot he had found it. Nico slept in fits that night staring at the book for long hours. 

In the morning, Nico was still partially awake, never having really gone to bed. Will woke up early, like he always did, and was surprised to find Nico awake. 

"Did you read last night?" he asked, mistaking Nico's eyebags for staying up late from reading. 

"Yes," Nico said, playing along. Will glanced at the book and the two sticky notes peaking up from the top of the pages. 

"You haven't reached the end," he noted. 

"Still on chapter ten," Nico lied. Will hummed and got out of bed, going to the bathroom. Nico grabbed for the book and flipped to the last sticky note. Will you marry me? He hadn't dreamed it. Oh gods, what was he going to do? Why was he panicking? He should just tell Will yes. Nico set the book back. 

"We should finish the last two chapters," Will said, startling Nico. 

"I can't." 

"Why not?"

"I've, um, got to call Percy and ask for his, uh, cookie recipe!" Will tilted his head slightly.

". . . okay," he said finally. "Maybe later." Nico nodded frantically. He got up from bed, grabbed his phone, and went to the bathroom. He locked the door and sat on the floor, dialing Percy's number.

"Call me at the crack of dawn," Percy grumbled. Nico held the phone closer to his ear. 

"Percy, he did it." It was silent on the phone then Percy said, "what did he do?" Nico groaned.

"He proposed."  More silence, then Nico heard Annabeth in the background.

"Holy shit. Really?"

"Yes," Nico said frantically. "He wrote it on a note and put it at the end of this book he got me. I saw it but lied and told him I didn't. I don't what to do!" 

"Listen," Annabeth said, "he put it there because he wants to marry you. Just tell him you saw it."

"But he'll know I lied."

"Why did you lie?"

"I guess I was sorta scared. It's something new and I wasn't sure what to do with it." 

"Nico, it's new to Will too. Now hang up and talk to him." Annabeth hung up before Nico could. Nico sat on the floor for a long time after and he only gets up when Will starts knocking. 

"Everything okay?" Nico opened the door, standing in front of Will. 

"I know." Will furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"What do you know?"

"Yes." Will grabbed Nico's forearms giving the boy a concerned look. 

"Are you okay? Did you hit your head?" 

"I'll marry you."

"Oh. Wait, I thought you hadn't read the-"

"I lied. I was nervous and a little scared. I wasn't sure how to approach you." Will laced their hands together. 

"If you're not ready I'll wait."

"No, I'm ready." 

"Let's get married, then," Will said fondly. 

"Nope, not until you propose properly." 

"Nico!"

One more story then it's over. I'm going to take some time to write the next story, so it may be a little over a week until I post it.