drama club {boyxboy} {willxnico}

you.

Weeks before

   "wow," percy said, throwing his ice scream spoon back into the brown container. "so...it's all over?"

   "yeah..." i said. "it's all over."

   "are you okay?" he asked.

   no, i'm not. and if you were Will, you wouldn't have asked that. you would have knew.

   "i'll be okay," i shrugged, unsure if it were a lie or not. "should we talk about that night?"

   "yeah..." percy said. "i've known about myself for awhile but i wasn't sure. and then...i was vulnerable that night just like you were. and we kissed and i haven't got it out of my mind since."

"so...you're gay?"

"bisexual," he shrugged. "i guess. i had real feelings for annabeth. i have real feelings f-for you."

"you," i said and i thought about Will. you are so beautiful, Will. you are my everything, Will. I love you, Will.

"what?" percy asked.

"no, it's nothing," i responded. "i just remember a time when i thought no one could ever like me."

"i think we all feel that sometimes," percy said. "it's...normal. we're normal." he meant it in multiple ways.

maybe i don't want to be normal. maybe i want to believe i'm a little special.

"this school year has been wild," i revealed and chuckled a bit. "it's all hard."

"i'm here for you, nico."

maybe it was the reassurance. Will had just broken up with me hours before and we were sitting on percy's roof, looking at the stars. but something willed me and i kissed percy again. his hands fell to hips as he gripped me closer. soon, i was on top of him, stripping off my shirt.

he took off his shirt to, and our cold bodies were soon warming each other up. as he kissed my neck, i closed my eyes and imagined Will. Will on me, kissing me, fucking me. percy went back to kissing me, his tongue fighting mine. my hands fumbled at his belt. then i remembered.

i pushed him off of me. "you're saving till marriage."

"i—" percy took a deep breath. "it's okay. it's fine, nico. we can keep going if you want."

"percy, this is important to you. to your religion."

"let's just do it and get it over with," he said. "i give myself to you, nico."

i finally saw through Will's eyes and recalled myself saying, 'i'll get surgery for you.'

"no, percy. don't ever give up what's important to you," i said. "especially for someone you're not even dating."

percy looked up at me, his eyes glossed over and took a shaky breath. "thanks."

we went inside afterwards and cuddled on the bed till we fell asleep. early in the morning, i sneaked out and went back home.

—

it was around 6 pm and the house was a mess. the whole family didn't leave the living room and left food out and about. we watched horror movies, romantic comedies, even Christmas movies.

my phone buzzed excitedly and i excused myself from the room. "hello," i answered.

"what's up, nephew?"

"being completely lazy," i said. "and you, Kenny?"

   "dying to give you news," he said. "one of my colleagues are on the board of a performing arts school down here. it's a private school, but i'd like you to come audition to get in. i'll buy you a ticket to fly over here, assuming it's okay with your parents."

"agsjshsudjdidsjdi."

"is that a yes?"

"yes!"

"great," kenny said. "i fully believe in you after seeing the livestream of you as audrey."

"you...saw that?"

"you and Will are an amazing couple. if you want, i can buy a ticket for him, too."

"no, he's busy," i lied.

"i haven't even said a date, neeks."

"he'll be busy for the rest of this month," i lied.

"i'll call your parents soon, nico," kenny said, skeptical of my lie.

"see you then!"

"love you!" he said. after we hung up, i did an excited dance.

3 days later

"Will hasn't been to school for a week and you haven't mentioned his name every hour like you always do. spill the tea, di angelo," alex said, cornering me with the rest of the drama club kids.

"are you serious?" i rolled my eyes.

alex and magnus and all the others nodded, waiting for an answer.

"he dumped me," i said, directing my eyes back to my book as if it didn't matter.

"WHAT?" alex screamed. "why?"

"because i've just came out," i said. "he thinks i need room to explore with other guys."

"do you?" magnus said, quietly as if he were thinking to himself.

"i didn't think so," i said. "is that all?"

"we'll give you space," magnus agreed.

"not me," alex said, taking a seat right next to me. her phone buzzed and she checked it. "shit."

"what is it?"

"percy texted me. mr. gabe is being arrested. he was having sex with underaged boys."

my eyes flickered up and i remembered Will. he was raped, i thought. i shook the thought out of my head. "is he okay?" i asked, a little too urgently.

everybody looked around awkwardly.

"what..?" i asked.

"we know you guys made out when you and Will were together. we were just waiting for you to tell us," mallory admitted. everybody hit her.

"oh," i said. "well that's not the point. how is Wi—percy doing?"

"he's torn up about it."

i began grabbing my stuff.

"where are you going?" alex asked.

"to percy," i admitted.

—

i found percy on his roof, curled up in a ball.

"you found me," percy sniffled.

i sat down next to him and put my arm around his curled body. "i did."

"only you could," he forced a laugh, that instantly turned to tears.

"it's confusing, i imagine," i said. "you must be so hurt."

"i was lied to my whole life, by a pedophile," he said. he rocked back and forth and in a whisper he said, "God is punishing me."

"why do you think that?"

"because of who i am. because of my lies. i've lied to everybody. i'm straight, mom. i'm straight, dad. i'm straight, auntie. God is punishing me for not being those lies," percy said.

"God didn't do this, your father did," i said. "percy, there is nothing wrong with you. one day you will get courage to tell everybody."

   his eyes flickered up. "and what gave you the courage to come out?"

  "i fell in love," i shrugged.

  he stared at me before pulling me close and i kissed him. we stared there for awhile, kissing and holding each other.