Waiting (a pernico fic)

Chapter 19

AN: YAY NO MORE FILLERS!

Nico

The next morning, Nico woke up more refreshed than he had in a while. Then he remembered last night and almost felt embarassed. He'd cried a lot. However, now that all that pent up frusteration/sadness/fear/loneliness/whatever was out, he felt lighter. Like he'd been carrying around a weight in his chest and now it was gone. He felt so good, in fact, that he offered to go with Percy to get breakfast.
This obviously shocked Percy.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Just as long as you don't leave me alone," Nico allowed, just in case his nerves came back. Percy smiled reassuringly. "Never."

When they went out, Nico paused, then ran back into the cabin. He had seen Percy's dissapointed look and he probably thought Nico was chickening out until he held up a finger and called, "One second."
Nico grabbed the sweater Percy had gotten him for his birthday and put it on before coming back out. No matter how not-funny and ridiculous the sweater was, damn it, the thing made Nico feel better. So what if it was like a security blanket, no one had to know that. Percy smiled when Nico reappeared, then his eyes landed on the sweater. He looked about to say something but Nico just said, "Shut up," and laced his fingers through Percy's.
They walked to the pavillion and saw all their friends at their respective tables, that is, they were until they saw Nico was with Percy.
They rushed over and Hazel was the first to hug Nico. While he still wasn't big on physical contact, he appreciated that the others were happy to see him.
Once everyone stopped basically attacking him, the pair got their food, then Percy asked, "D'you want to take to food to the cabin or do you want to eat here?" Not a big question to anyone else, but it was to Nico. He'd been a recluse for a long while and he felt slightly uncomfortable to be out in the open, but he glanced over to the Apollo table and didn't see Will, so he relaxed and replied, "We can eat here. It's okay."
So they sat at Percy's table and Annabeth wound up wandering over with her plate and joining them. They chatted amicably and Annabeth asked if she could come by later.
Percy glanced at Nico, asking silently, and the boy nodded. "This way, we can play Cards Against Humanity." Annabeth smiled. "You realize you replaced one card game with another, right?"
"Yeah, but the other doesn't have dirty words in it."
"Oh what, like frick and darn?" Annabeth asked while Percy stayed decidedly silent. (He's the one who doesn't curse, not Nico.) Nico pursed his lips at her. "I'll have you know I swear a lot."
"Damn isn't really a swear. Fuck is, though," Annabeth said off-handedly, knowing the scandalized look would appear on both their faces. "I should wash your mouth with soap, young lady," Nico threatened jokingly. "Young lady?" She leveled back. "I'm older than you."
"I'm 89, Annabeth," Nico deadpanned. "Hotels don't count."
"They do, too!"
"Not really," Percy said and before Nico could turn to playfully argue with him, his eyes landed on the Hades table and he froze. There, eating alone and looking forlorn, was Will. Nico paled considerably.
Catching the look on Nico's face, Annabeth followed his eyeline along with Percy and her jaw clenched. "Do you want me to go yell at him? He's not supposed to be there." Nico just stared at him for several seconds before swallowing shakily. He refused to let the fear that consumed him swallow him again, so he shook his head, replying, "H-he's nowhere near me. It's fine. Let it go." Reluctantly, Annabeth chewed the inside of her cheek and turned back around in her seat. Nico's eyes didn't leave Will.
The blonde must've felt eyes on him because he looked up and locked eyes with Nico. The son of Hades didn't dare blink. The blonde chanced a small smile and before Nico even knew what he was doing, he was up and gone, heading full-tilt toward the safety of the Hades cabin. By the time Percy can register that Nico has fled, Will is gone too.

Will

Will was easily able to catch up to Nico, even as fast as he was going. He had to say his piece and anytime he tried, Percy was there, blocking his way. All he wanted was to talk to Nico. After what he'd seen at Nico's cabin a couple weeks ago, he needed to clear the air. Sure he'd hurt Nico and that was unforgivable but he had to listen to Will.
"Nico, please stop." The blonde got in front of Nico and grabbed his arm to stop him from dodging around him. It worried Will that the small action of touching Nico had the Italian visibly panicking. He didn't understand. He wasn't grabbing him hard, was he?
"Look, all I wanted to do was appologize. I really shouldn't have done... what I did." Will couldn't even say, I hurt you. It left a bad taste in his mouth.
"You think?" Nico panted out, alarmingly pale. "I'm really sorry. I just lost my mind, seeing you with Percy." I should've had that. "You shouldn't have taken it out on me," Nico spat back and that stabbed at Will's heart. After a pause, Nico said softly, "Please stop touching me." In a daze, Will released Nico's arm. He didn't want to, but he couldn't say no to him.
"You're right. I shouldn't have. I deserve anything Percy does to me." This made Nico look up in confusion.
Will knew he'd ruined everything. It wasn't supposed to go down like that at the Infirmary. He had been supposed to make an impassioned plea and Nico would realize he and Percy were all wrong for each other. Then Will had gotten mad and he'd hurt Nico. He knew Nico didn't want anything to do with him now. He'd blown it.
"I'm just so sorry," Will mumbled and Nico just shook his head. "I know you are. But I can't be around you."
That hurt even worse. Just because he knew it doesn't mean it hurt less to hear Nico say it. "Okay."
At that moment, Percy jogged up and Will knew from the look on his face that he was going to swing on him.
He did. He landed a right hook on Will's jaw that nearly took him off of his feet but he righted himself and stood there. He wasn't going to fight back. He deserved it, after all. And it would show Nico just how wrong they were together. Please beat me up.
Percy landed another blow and Will expected Nico to protest, but he didn't. He just watched, with mute horror and something else on his face that Will couldn't place.
Percy hit again and growled in frusteration when Will just let him. "Defend yourself, damn it!" Will just shook his head.
"I deserve it, remember? Hit me again." That made both Percy and Nico look at Will in complete shock. Percy dropped his raised fist by his side. "Noble asshole. I won't ease your conscience. Let's go," he directed the last to Nico, who immediately moved to follow him as Percy stalked off, taking Nico's hand. The boy looked back at Will, standing there with blood running down from his new split lip, and regarded him strangely. It was almost a mixture of curiousity and pity. Will wanted neither. He only regretted that Percy hadn't hit him worse. Who was the noble asshole now?

AN: *tour guide voice* and to your left, you'll see Will being a creepy asshole. And to the right, you'll see me, getting a sick sense of satisfaction from him getting beat up by my boy Percy.

Hello lovelies. I am back with more plot for you. I've been listening to Melanie Martinez on loop writing this because her songs talk about some of the things that go on in this story and it gets me in the right headspace to write Will the way I do. This is your first real taste of Will becoming a Norman Bates-acting creep-a-zoid. Just so you know, that's how he's going to be for the rest of the book. Sorry, any of you who actually like Will.
Anyway, we're getting into the meaty bits so hang onto your bloomers. Shit's getting real.
*side note: um cAN WE TALK ABOUT MY BOY CURSING FULL ON BC DAMN HE WAS MAD LIKE FUQ ME
So, I'll see you next chapter!
˜Tom