I Like Me Better when I'm With You (COMPLETED)

Would it make a change if I kissed you for the first time?

Author's Notes:  Chapter title is from I Know You Like Me by Sound

***

There was not a lot of people when Nico stepped in to The Oracle. Will's beaming smile greeted him as Nico walked to the counter.

Once Nico stopped right in front of the counter, Will arched a brow. He tilted his head a bit to the left as he eyed Nico. Nico shifted awkwardly, unconsciously tugged the beanie that he was wearing.

"Is it already that cold out there, Neeks?"

"Huh?" Nico blinked. "A little?"

Will's lips twitched into a smirk as he folded his arms on the counter.

"Really? Is that why you're wearing a beanie today?"

Nico's hand flew to his beanie. "Yes?" He said, cringing at how his voice sounded so unsure. "Besides, the forecast said it's going to snow this evening," Nico added, fixing the gray scarf around his neck. And no, he wasn't lying. The forecast did say they would have their first snow of the year this evening,

A beat of silence passed between them, then Will suddenly leaned forward and grabbed Nico's beanie off his head.

"Hey!" Nico protested and tried to grab his beanie back. But Will already hid it behind his back, and he stared at Nico with a look that made Nico's brain freeze for a moment.

"You had a haircut," Will said with a mix of surprise and amusement in his voice.

"Yeah. Last night." Nico chewed his lower lip and ran a hand over his head. "It's...getting a little bit too long so... yeah. I decided that maybe it's time? To have a haircut?"

Will still stared at Nico and there was a hint of a smile on his lips, so vague that Nico was not sure that Will was smiling. Nico nervously hid his hands into the pocket of his jacket. He shifted his weight to the balls of his feet.

"What do you think?" He asked.

The vague smile got wider and Nico's heart skipped a beat to see the twinkle in Will's eyes.

"It's nice...." Will said. "I like it."

Nico let out a breath that he didn't know he's been holding. It surprised him to realize that this was the first time for him that someone's opinion mattered for him.

"Really?" He asked once again.

Will nodded. "Yeah. You look good," he said. "I mean... It... It looks good on you."

"So, you guys done flirting or any of you still have some lame pick-up lines to say?"

The two of them snapped their head to where the voice came from. Leo was standing by the door that led to the kitchen area of the coffee shop. Next to him, a tall guy with black hair and green eyes were grinning.

"So, is that your boyfriend material, Will? The one that Leo has been telling me about?"

Nico quickly ducked his head down as he felt his face was burning.

"Leo! Percy!" Will hissed as he stormed with wide steps to where the two boys were standing.

Leo and Percy quickly pulled the door and ran away from him, but Nico could still hear their laughter.

Boyfriend material, Nico thought to himself as an involuntary smile breaking in to his lips.

The sound of the door creaked open made Nico lifted his head up. Will walking out from the kitchen area, his face was blushing furiously.

"I'm sorry for those idiots," Will said and sighed. "I swear that they were just 5 year old trapped in the bodies of college students."

Nico chuckled and he smiled at Will. "Nah. It's fine," he said.

Because really, Nico didn't mind being a boyfriend material for Will.

***

Will grabbed the side of the counter as he suddenly needed to hold on something to steady himself. It was weird, almost ridiculous how Nico's smile could affect him like this. Like suddenly his heart was replaced with a thousand butterflies that flapped their wings inside his chest like crazy. And that new haircut?

Whoever it was that made Nico have the haircut, Will was grateful for them. Somehow the undercut made Nico's defined cheekbones look even more prominent. And there were still enough curls at the front, which looked so soft and Will started to think about how it would feel to run his fingers through those strands of dark hair.

"Will?"

Will blinked.

"Uh. Okay. Yeah. The usual?" Will asked, feeling rush of heat at the back of his neck.

Nico nodded. He paid for his order and took a seat at his usual table.

Will turned around, about to prepare Nico's order, and bumped to Leo.

"Whoa! Leo! What are you doing there?"

Leo grinned and shoved a cup to Will's hand.

"Medium peppermint mocha, his usual order," Leo said. "And take off your apron."

Will's brows furrowed down. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It's still another 20 minutes before his shift is over. Will looked back at Leo.

"But, Leo-"

"Don't worry, I'm sure Paul won't mind letting you go off earlier tonight."

Will's head jolted to where Percy was standing by the kitchen door. Percy was leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest. He had a teasing smile on his lips.

"I'd talk to Paul. I can cover for you. It's not a hectic night and I don't have anything else to do for the rest of the night, anyway," Percy said and shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you sure?"

Percy laughed.

"Yes, Will. I'm sure," Percy said, the laugh remained as a teasing smirk on his lips.

"Now come on, Will," Leo said and clasped Will's shoulders. "Just take off that apron, get your stuff, put your coat on and go to wherever it is that you and that pretty boy over there are planning to go," he said as he pushed Will, steering him to the kitchen area.

Will tried to protest but maybe Leo was too strong, or maybe it was him that didn't really want to refuse the possibility of getting off work earlier.

As Leo steered him to walk past the door, he turned his head to the counter. Percy was calling Nico's name and placing his order on the counter. Percy turned his head to Will, and winked at him right before Leo shoved him into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Will took a deep breath as he took off his apron. As he put it away in the hamper, he wondered how much longer he could deny his own feeling about Nico.

It was terrifying, to have this kind of strong feeling and desire towards someone. And from the way Nico stared at him with that soft look, was it wrong for Will to think, to hope, that Nico felt the same way?

What if it was just Will's imagination?

What if it was just Will having an expectation too high, he has misread all the signs that he thought Nico has been giving?

And most of all, what if he said, or do something stupid that would just ruin everything?

Something that started as some small sparks inside of Will has grown into a flame of affection and desire. And it scared Will, that the flame would burn everything down.

***