Inconvenient Love

Chapter 15

The first night at the Jackson residance was the hardest. Will laid there, unable to sleep, Nico's cold body beside him. Why was Nico always so cold? Will had already laid both blankets over him.

Percy was asleep, loud snoring filling the room. His tan hand hung off the bed, brushing against the carpet each time he breathed out. Will could only hope he was as okay with them staying there as he let on.

"Nico, are you awake?" Will whispered into the darkness. There was no answer, just the breathing of the room's occupants.

He checked again to make sure Nico was breathing, and after doing so, tucked the boy in better. If he knew where anything was, he would have gotten his boyfriend a heating pad or forced him to take a hot shower. He hated how that body's temperature resembled a corpse.

Will crawled off of the air mattress before walking from the room, careful to keep his movements quiet as he moved to the front door. He needed a breather, needed the cold air he had once yelled at Nico for letting in. Since that night they had first spoke, his life had gone to hell and back.

But he didn't blame Nico, he didn't blame anyone. Life was unfair, he had learned that long ago. Nobody could change what happened to them, nobody could change the luck they had. But they could chose to make the right choice each time they were faced with a new decision, and that was what he would do.

Will sat on the front steps and took the night air in, just thanked God that he still had Nico. He hadn't meant to find love in the place he did, but he was thankful that he had.

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The weeks went by in a haze. School, Nico's work, Percy's swimming, Sally's pregnancy, the alcohol Will found Nico downing after work. Everything melted together in a whirlwind of life.

And even through the pain, he found himself enjoying it. Sally was a mother to them all. Hazel was an amazing sister, with dreams for the future and a love for her boyfriend. And Nico...Nico had taken up all of Will's heart and then some. Will could never stop loving that boy.

Paul Blofis was pretty cool as well. He was an English teacher at their school, and at home he helped tutor any of them that needed it. When Sally had told him about the situation, he had welcomed them all just as easily as she had.

And through the weeks and then months, them became a dysfunctional, odd, happy family.

And just as their family grew closer, so did Nico and Will.

The first time they made love, Percy had left to take Annabeth on a date. The others were gone as well, with Sally and Paul at an ultrasound appointment and Hazel out with Frank. It was slow, soft, full of a special love that moved through Will's body with each breath he took.

Nico, his Nico...he was so perfect. Will truly loved him, more than anything, and he knew Nico felt the same way back. Even though they met in a harsh position, even though they had gone through hell, even though they were still going through it... They loved each other, and they always would.

Love. Maybe that was what healed, not time. For it certainly healed them.