Too Late

Chapter 47

~ Nico ~

Nico's favourite time of year was fall, when the wind was cool but the sun could warm your face. He loved the crunch of the leaves and the colour of the trees. But this year he'd found a new favourite part, the cool nights. He'd liked them before, but now he loved them. The cool nights, when it was cold enough for a blanket, cold enough to snuggle with Will in his bed. It was a perfect excuse to be held.

And that's where Nico was, in Will's arms, content and calm, when Will broke the silence. "I never liked being alone in a cabin."

"You aren't alone, I'm here." Nico pointed out.

"I'm talking about you, di Angelo."

Nico shrugged, "It's never bothered me."

The son of Apollo sighed, sending a warm gust of air down the back of Nico's neck. "What I'm trying to say," Will explained, "Is that we should do this more often."

Nico blinked, "Oh."

"Only if you want to, of course." The son of Apollo rushed on, "I don't want to do anything you aren't comfortable with and..."

"I'd like that." Nico said, interrupting Will. "I'd like that a lot." He couldn't see his boyfriends face but he could almost feel Will smiling. "You would?"

Nico nodded, "Yeah, you're warm."

Will laughed, "Is that your way of saying I'm hot?"

Nico rolled over so he could face the son of Apollo, "Maybe." He said quietly, repositioning himself so he was lying on top of his boyfriend. He leaned forward and pressed his mouth against Wills neck. "I love you." He mumbled. Nico could feel heat rising in Wills face, he stopped and looked up. "Is this alright?" He asked.

His boyfriend nodded quickly, "Yeah... don't stop."

"Are you blushing?" He asked incredulously.

"That was just really..." Will paused, as if searching for the right word, "hot?"

"I think you mean warm." Nico corrected, leaning in.

"Um, yeah I guess." Will spluttered.

Nico smirked, "You're adorable."

In that moment, two became one. Their lips met and Nico knew for a fact that everything was going to be alright. He knew Will knew it too.

He pulled away, "You're amazing."

Will blinked, "Okay." His voice was an octave higher than usual, Nico laughed. "Gods, Will." He ran a hand through Wills hair and smiled down at him. The son of Apollo stared back at him with big blue eyes. "You're the worst." Will complained, holding Nico against his chest.

In that moment the son of Hades felt so full of love, he wanted to do nothing but tell Will how much he adored him. He rolled off the son of Apollo, "Will?"

"Yeah?" He said, leaning forward, pressing Nico against the wall.

"You know I mean it, right?"

"What?"

"You're amazing."

"No, I'm not." He protested.

"You are." Nico persisted. "You know just what to say, what to do. You save lives. You've changed lives. I could never do that."

With each compliment Wills face turned more pink, "You... you changed my life." he managed.

Nico only smiled and poked Wills nose, "Just accept the compliment, you moron."

"But it's true..."

Nico raised an eyebrow, Will was making this too easy. He leaned forward and whispered, "You made my life worth living." Then he planted a quick kiss on his forehead.

Will only blushed harder.

* * *

Nico stared down at the son of Apollo, "I brought you coffee." He said, offering Will a mug. He took it and smiled sleepily up at Nico, "Thanks Neeks."

Nico sat next to his boyfriend as he crammed cereal into his mouth. Will smiled at him, still not quite awake and sipped his coffee. "I've decided, that I'm going to make you blush." The son of Apollo declared.

Nico looked up, "What?"

"You make me blush all the time, I get all awkward and I can't say anything. I want to see you like that." Will said triumphantly.

"And where is this coming from?" Nico questioned, "What's the purpose?"

Will shrugged, "I don't know."

"Well it's pointless, I don't blush."

"Yet." Will added.

"Well, have fun." Nico said with a shrug.

* * *

"What's wrong with them exactly?" Ayla questioned.

Will scratched the back of his neck, "I'm not sure...."

He left her with Will, to talk, and he slipped into Shelby's room. Looking at the child of Nemesis he noticed a dramatic difference from when they had first arrived. Shelby was paler, they had lost weight. The one thing that really bother Nico was the aura of death around them.

He sat down next to Shelby and they looked up, "Nico?" They asked softly.

"Yeah, it's Nico." He replied.

A small smile crept over their face, "You're the son of Hades." They said quietly.

"You remembered."

They nodded slowly, "I've been remembering lots of things." Nico smiled, even though Shelby was older than him, they acted like a child.

"I brought someone to see you." He said gently, hopefully this would go well. Shelby looked interested, but didn't reply.

"Her... His name is Blake." Nico continued, it felt weird to use that name, but Shelby wouldn't know her by the name she went by now.

At the name Blake, Shelby's head shot up. "Blake?" Suddenly the childlike tone in their voice was gone.

Nico nodded, "They came to see you." Shelby smiled, not a childish grin, but a real smile.

"But they go by Ayla now, she her pronouns." Nico explained.

Shelby nodded, their face full of understanding, "Alright. Can I see her now?" They looked about ready to leap out of bed and run out of the room.

"I'll go get her, you stay here, okay?"

Shelby nodded eagerly.

wholesome morning solangelo and an update on time !?!?