Fate Withstands

Chapter 18

Nico didn't know what to think, didn't know how to deal with this thing in his life. Will Solace, Will fucking Solace, had kissed him, had told him he wanted to keep kissing him. Wanted a relationship.

It was so different, so new, so extraordinary. He honestly didn't know how to handle it. Back in his first life, he hadn't even thought about dating anyone. Sure, some of the boys he fought with were hot, but back then he hadn't accepted his sexuality or even thought that he could be gay. Instead, he simply decided that those boys were people he shouldn't be around.

Now, in a world where a boy wanted to be with him, where a boy actually like him, where he and his father both accepted his sexuality... Nico hadn't ever experienced this before. What was he supposed to do?

He could have asked Persephone, but her love story hadn't been normal. His father had kidnapped her, forced her to marry him. He was definitely not going to reenact that.

Percy was another option, but Nico wasn't sure if he wanted the son of Poseidon to know about his budding relationship. Was he homophobic? Was Annabeth?

Nico sat in his cabin, his head in his hands. The extensive heating system blew over him but he wasn't in the mood to enjoy it much. Not when Will Solace was on his mind.

A knock on the door broke him out of his thoughts, causing him to lift his head in attention. "Come in."

Will Solace slipped into the cabin and closed the door behind him, his blue eyes darker in the low lighting. When their eyes met, a soft blush crossed his cheeks. "Nico."

Nico broke the eye contact and looked to his lap. Butterflies seemed to have erupted in his stomach. "Will...I'm sorry for running off."

"If you don't want to be with me, it's okay." Will stepped forward. "Just say so. I don't want to make you do anything. I just...I don't know why I acted so quickly."

"We barely know each other," Nico said. "And I...I don't know if I can be gay in public..."

Will frowned. "Don't let any homophobic asses hold you back. Besides, people are a lot more accepting now."

Nico shrugged. "Even if. And I have no idea what my momma would have said or what Bianca would say... I just...I can't be in a full relationship yet."

Will's head jerked into a nod. "O-Okay..."

"But," Nico continued, "you can kiss me and stuff...I like kissing you... I just don't want to make it official... Not yet."

"You like kissing me?" Will grinned as he covered the distance between them.

Nico scratched the back of his neck. "I...yeah, I do... But don't tell anyone. Please."

"I won't." Will sat next to him and grabbed his gray hand. "I won't until you're ready."

Nico hesitated before leaning his head on Will's shoulder. "Thanks, Will."

"My pleasure."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nico stepped out of the shadows and into his cabin, an old bookbag thrown over his shoulder. Inside were new weapons of Stygian Iron he had forged during his weekend in the Underworld.

He went to set the bag down but froze when he saw Will Solace, the son of Apollo sitting on one of the beds with a large grin on his face.

"What do you need?" Nico asked, setting the bag on an empty bed. "Is something wrong?"

Will shook his head. "You've been gone for days. I missed you. I just came to say hi."

"Oh," Nico blinked. "Hi, I guess." He sat next to Will and grabbed his hand. "Anything happen when I was gone?"