Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot. Rick my man owns the characters.

A/N: OMG this is it. (insert crying face emoji) ;(

Nico was forced to go back to school eventually. The weeks without Will were hard. He'd visit every weekend for most of it, and they'd talk every night. That part wasn't bad. The hard part was training his replacement. Will would be released eventually, but he probably wouldn't make it to another tournament.

Thankfully, the kid didn't move in with them. He was a horrible archer compared to Will. Nico let Frank handle Dakota. He seemed out of it nearly all the time, but if he were using drugs, Nico wouldn't say a word until Will was back and ready.

It was when Nico was dodging one of Dakota's many questions about how his and Will's relationship that Reyna found him. Back resting against the trunk of his and Will's tree, she thanked Jason for leading her to him.

Nico scoffed. "How did you manage to slip in alone time with me – a boy?"

Reyna stood before him as he sketched in his book lightly, drunkenly, drearily. She kicked his foot with a gentleness that hadn't been there before. "You're so gay even Chiron knows." Nico mumbled a comment under his breath. "Why aren't you up there? Will told Lou all about how 'cute' you looked up there."

"You got close with Lou?"

"You can't hide from Lou and that's a fact," she sighed and sat beside him. As the breeze sent chills over their bodies, she nudged his side. Nico blew out a breath of air that seemed colder than the air around them.

He shrugged and glanced longingly up the tree.

"It's not the same without him, is it?" Reyna had a way of knowing Nico. She didn't bring up personal stuff hardly at all, though, so it surprised Nico she got it on the dot. He nodded grudgingly. "I like him for you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he grumbled, pencil pausing in effort to lure the answer from her lips. Reyna's dark hair fell to hide her eyes, but the teasing glint didn't escape his notice.

"He's made you softer. Not as soft as butter – I couldn't stand speaking to you if that were the case, but…you went from diamond to gold." Reyna announced, and only a girl as sure as Reyna could say those words with grace.

"I'm not softer."

She shrugged, like the matter didn't mean a thing. Maybe it didn't to most people, but it irritated Nico for a moment. He didn't want to be soft; he didn't want to be weak. Then, he thought about the way he felt in his arms when his head was tearing his soul apart. He thought about the water in Will's eyes and how nobody could ever begin to call Will such a feeble word as weak. Maybe it was okay to be soft sometimes. Maybe it made him better.

"I'm sorry, by the way. I pushed all my anger on you," Reyna mumbled the words like a curse. Nico raised an eyebrow. "You tried to warn me, and I didn't listen. I paid for it."

Nico bit his lip. "You handled it better than some would."

One side of her lips lifted into a hint of a smile. "Yeah? Well, it was shitty of me to dump my feelings on you."

"It's cool. How are you with him and Piper together?"

Reyna laughed dryly. "It's not bad. There have been a few times I kicked her out of the cabin for a few hours so I wouldn't hurt her, but other than that? We're good."

Nico grinned at Reyna. He never had a great sense of humor, but neither did she. "How are you and sunshine boy?"

Nico rolled his eyes as he began brushing in more detail. He hadn't been excited over a tattoo since months ago, not like this. "We're good…"

Reyna waited for a minute before speaking, secretly hoping that he'd spill. Nico knew her. "According to Lou, you two haven't done the deed."

Nico blushed and shook his head, adding finishing touches to the tattoo. "No." He waited to hear her comment or advice or overall shock, but instead her eyes were focused on Nico at bay, waves of serenity passing through his vision. "Want to see my next tattoo?"

He showed her the sketch. "Another one with color? This seems like a bad idea."

"It's not to match him," Nico scoffed. "He just happened to be the one to remind me to be happy every once in a while, to be in the light. So."

Reyna's eyes were stormy as she looked between him and the tattoo. She smiled. "Okay. Let's go get it."

. . .

Will got released from the hospital a week later. Since he arrived during school hours, Nico didn't get to see him before the others did. Will, of course, made a show of it. He came into the lunch area with the aura of a dead man walking. People cheered because nobody had ever gotten hospitalized during one of their games, not in this century that was.

Nico watched as half the school came up to Will and patted him on the back. He loved the attention, clearly, and why shouldn't he? The game almost took his life, and he was walking right back to the team. Well, really he had to wait a while before he could do any vigorous activity. When Nico jokingly mentioned sex, he said he already asked and that it'd be fine. Now that got his heart racing again.

When Will sat down at their usual lunch table, people finally went back to their usual business. "What? No kiss from my boyfriend?"

Leo threw a roll at Nico. "Yeah, Nico, kiss him!"

Nico rolled his eyes. "I will push you off this table, Solace," he growled, and Will's face split into that sunshine pure grin.

"That's my Nico," Will slung his arms around Nico and pressed his lips to his cheek. "I missed you, too."

"Yeah, whatever," Nico mumbled, but as the rest of them were roped into an intense conversation about hot nurses at the hospital, Nico found Will's hand and scooted a little closer. It was good to have him back. It was really good.

Will didn't mention their next class as they exited Greek history with a wave at Chiron. Nico didn't bring it up either. When they entered anatomy, Apollo was grading papers. His eyes connected with Will's, both hopeful and relieved.

"Mom said hello."

Apollo raised his eyebrows. "Oh. Very kind of her."

Will sat at his seat in the front that hadn't had somebody sit there in so long it had nearly collected dust. "She said to take her somewhere nice."

Apollo looked around the room hesitantly, as if he were being pranked. "So…you're okay with us together?"

Will shrugged as Nico sat down next to him. "As long as I can meet your other kids."

Both Nico and Apollo nearly choked. "You want to meet them?" he stumbled to think clearly.

Will nodded. "Yeah."

Apollo blew out a breath of air. "Okay."

. . .

Nico and Will didn't get much time to themselves throughout the week. Dakota was always following Nico and Will around, asking for tips with his bow and arrow. "I just think it's the pussy way out, if you ask me."

Nico deadpanned, "Will literally was the only one to almost get killed."

"Still."

So when Will asked Nico to come with him to meet his half siblings Saturday, Nico jumped at the chance. They hadn't so much as made out in the last month, and it was killing Nico.

They were waiting at the entrance of the school for Apollo while Will was rambling. Nico loved when Will rambled. It gave him relief that he didn't have to fill the silence, and Will was absolutely adorable when he did it. Sitting on a bench, Will's hands waved around animatedly with his words, "So I guess his weakest son, Halcyon, died when he was ten, but Kayla and Austin are in college nearby. Apparently, Austin is the Austin! The one on Youtube who can sing better than Beyoncé! And Kayla used to go to the girls' school. She was and still is known as their best archer. Crazy, huh?"

Nico broke into an unbearable grin. He wrapped his arm around Will's waist and sighed. "They're going to love you and your rambling."

"Just like you love me?" Will asked, eyebrow raised, but he didn't sound curious or nervous. He sounded very, very sure of himself. Nico stiffened.

"W-what?"

"I wasn't asl-,"

"Boys! Are you ready to go? They should be over their hangovers and have every one-nighters out of the apartment by now," Apollo walked with his regular swagger, far less nervous than he'd been in the last two months. Will only laughed, and Nico's fears were, at the least, prolonged.

The cab ride was awkward, with Will squished between his dad and Nico.

"You know, I've been with a few guys myself," Apollo started out. Nico groaned and hit his head against the window. "Being a doctor can come in handy, too. It's all about knowing your anatomy."

"Yes, that's exactly why we took your class," Nico deadpanned. "To learn how to do anal properly."

Apollo huffed and looked out the window with annoyance. "I don't know how you put up with that mouth of his, Will."

Will laughed before leaning nearer to Nico. "I put up with you for your mouth."

Apollo scoffed. "Very original son."

Nico groaned and buried his head in Will's side. "What did I do to deserve a full day of double Will?"

It turned out his siblings lived only fifteen minutes away. Their apartment wasn't the nicest, but whose ever was in college? Kayla looked nothing like Austin. She had short ginger hair dyed a distinct green. It seemed to match her more outgoing personality well.

"Will!" she exclaimed and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly and not letting him go. "I hope this is Will I'm hugging and not the boyfriend."

"You'd think I'd create something as dark as him? Give me some credit, Kayla!" Apollo pushed through the doorway. Austin snorted with little amusement. Nico already liked him.

When Kayla pulled away, she crossed her arms and thoroughly examined Nico. "Cute. Brooding – very hot. Can he speak?"

Nico stared at her like she had two heads. "Yes, and I can count, too!"

"Sarcastic? You like the sarcastic type?" Kayla asked as if she didn't get it. "So much to learn about you! Come in!"

Austin greet Nico first while Kayla whisked Will around the miniscule apartment. "She's a bit over the top. When she heard we had a younger sibling, she jumped at the chance to baby him."

Nico shrugged and smirked slightly. "He has a friend just like her. I've learned how to deal with it." Austin grinned, and Nico didn't miss how similar it was to Will's.

"You're funny. So…what does Will think about us?" Austin seemed a bit nervous as he watched Kayla try to overload Will with words.

Nico shrugged. "I think he's always wanted more family. He hasn't stopped talking about meeting you all since Wednesday."

That answer appeased Austin. He clapped his hands together. "Well alright! Where do you want to go to eat guys?"

Apollo groaned. "I told you to cook!"

Austin answered in the same tone. "We don't cook!"

"Will just ate hospital food for nearly a month and you expect him to just go out to eat? No!"

Will interjected, deviating from Kayla's advice about which type of string was best to use. "I really don't mind-,"

"Nonsense!" Apollo jumped to his feat. He thought momentarily before snapping his fingers. "I've got it! We can cook breakfast together!"

Kayla blushed and looked at her feet. "We don't have anything besides cereal."

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?"

"If you would give us more money…" Austin trailed off pointedly. Apollo groaned.

"Fine. Here's what we'll do. I'm taking your three to the store and showing how not to live like savages. Nico and Will can stay here."

"Why can't they go? And why do we have to go?" Austin complained while he picked up his jacket.

Apollo was already at the door. "They're two boys in love who haven't gotten any alone time in a month. They'll find something to do."

Kayla scoffed. "Really? Don't you share a cabin?"

"Uh," Will glanced at Nico. "I've been in the hospital for a month. The others have kept me up until I passed out updating me on everything."

Nico groaned and flopped on the couch. Only he would get in this situation. When the door shut, Will burst into laughter. "I'm sorry, Nico." Will came around and sat by his head, lifting it up as if to see if he was still breathing. "Are you okay?"

With a breath of air, Nico rolled over and sighed. "It's just disturbing because Apollo's not wrong."

Will's hands ran through Nico's tufts of hair. "Not wrong about what?"

Cheeks turning red, Nico looked away from Will's intense gaze. "That we haven't had much alone time…"

Will was silent for so long that Nico eventually had to look at him. He had a dirty grin paired with his nearly forgotten bedroom eyes. "We have it now."

Nico sighed. "Yep." He opened his mouth to let his confession spill out, but then the door opened again.

Kayla, breathless, giggled, "Condoms are in the bathroom under the sink. Use Austin's bed, will you? He used mine last night with this sleazy girl and needs revenge. Thanks, bye!"

She slammed the door with too much enthusiasm. Nico sat up and chuckled slightly. "I like her," Will confessed like it was a secret.

"Austin's cool."

"Austin seems gay. Stay away."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Are you jealous?"

Will shrugged with a pout. "I saw you smiling at him."

Nico tilted his head. Swiftly, he moved over and climbed on Will's lap, smiling widely, and falsely, up at him. "Is this better?"

Will rolled his eyes. Nico went to extremes and placed both hands on his face so he had to look at him. "And Dakota won't stop eye fucking you…"

Nico's lips were nearly on his as he mumbled, "I wish you'd ass fuck me."

That changed everything. Will's body went still. The air around them turned into searing heat, but Nico didn't back away. His body rested lightly on top of Will's thighs, and his hands moved backwards into his curls.

"Don't mess with me like that, Death Boy," Will murmured with disdain. Nico lips lifted.

"I'm not." Then, Will fully leaned back and looked Nico over in surprise. Nico sighed. "I had a lot of time to think when you were in surgery, Will," Nico's hands tugged lightly at Will's hair as those blue eyes darkened. "I want to have sex. I want to do everything with you while we can. I mean…if you're okay with fucking a virgin."

Will reacted immediately. His lips scorched Nico's, and it'd been so long he wasn't fully prepared for the butterflies in his stomach or the way his body melted into his. Will pulled away mere milliliters. His growl came out possessively, turning Nico on more than before. "I don't care if you're a virgin or not. You're Nico."

The way the words rolled off his lips like they were the words to end all problems made Nico want him even more. Grinning, he pressed kisses down Will's neck, lightly at first, but then he heard the moans and felt his presence. He began sucking right where he knew it would make him moan in a matter of seconds. Will gripped his bottom firmly, slipping under his jeans with more enthusiasm than Nico had ever seen in him.

"You have one minute to find a condom before I suck you off," Nico's nails dug into his hips as he scooted closer. Will whimpered beneath him.

"Not a chance, baby."

Nico didn't regret his decision. The only thing that changed between he and Will was the need to constantly see him, smell him…do anything with him. Instead of quenching his desires, it only fueled Nico to want more, so much more. He never imagined how amazing Will could make him feel, and now he wanted to explore all possible ways of replicating that feeling. Even while they cooked an innocent breakfast together, Nico couldn't stop catching Will's gaze and blushing because, dammit, he knew how much he wanted to have sex again.

Nico didn't complain when Apollo teased Will about his hickey; he was too busy imagining giving him another one.

. . .

"Maybe we could have sex in our tree," Nico casually suggested as their hands swayed in the wind. Will's feet splashed water onto both of their legs as they landed in a puddle. It was finally warming up, and Will was able to do more vigorous activities, which included climbing a tree.

"Nico, we can't have sex in a tree."

"You're just a big sore baby," he grumbled as they reached the tree. Will thumped him upside the head. "Ouch." They climbed the tree to their branch, and Will chuckled as Nico pressed his back into the tree and let his legs rest on Will's lap. "The last time we were here, you thought I was straight."

"So did you."

Will shook his head. "No. I kind of assumed once I realized you were mad about Lou, but you never came out to me or anyone, so I was going to let you do that on your own…"

Nico rolled his eyes. "Ever the smart one."

Will grew excited. "Oh! What are you doing for spring break?" Nico's hint of a smirk dropped from his face as he clutched his sketchbook closer to him. When he began to speak, Will interrupted. "Nothing? Perfect. Mom wants you to come to the beach with us!"

Nico's eyes went wide. "I don't have any-,"

"Apollo is a doctor trying to win back his forgotten son's love. He'll give me whatever I want. And I want you." To prove his point, Will pulled Nico closer. Fearing the fall of twenty feet, Nico quickly shifted so he sat on Will's lap.

"I don't know…"

"Kayla and Austin are coming."

Nico pretended to grow excited. "Oh Austin? I'll definitely be – ow! Is it beat up on Nico day or something?" Nico rubbed his arm where Will had pinched it. Will huffed indignantly. "I'm kidding, Sunshine. You're the only thing I want."

"I am?" Will asked with less certainty than Nico was accustomed to hearing from his shining star. A nervous pit began to stir in Nico's chest, one that he forced himself to feed off of. He needed strength for his next move, a move that should have been made a long time ago.

Nico leaned his back against a nearby branch, still resting heavily on Will's lap. He didn't seem to mind, instead favoring to watch with the utmost interest. "I don't think you noticed last week, but I got another tattoo while you were in the hospital."

Will pouted. "Without me?"

Nico smirked slightly as he pushed his weight into the trees and raised his hips off Will. He pulled his pants down a good amount, and Will's eyes glazed over as they came into contact with the new artwork adorning his skin.

"They, uh, had trouble finding room. Had to work the black in with the sun, but…" Nico shrugged, wanting to explain it in full detail so he wouldn't sound too obsessed with his only couple month long boyfriend, but Will seemed to already have trouble catching his breath. "Solace? You okay?"

Will blinked rapidly before finally looking back at Nico, blue oceans meeting pools of rich chocolate. "It's…wow. What does it mean exactly?"

Feeling the urge to stare at his hands or the ground far below, Nico blushed and forced his gaze to stay locked on Will's. It didn't help that Will's hand was now resting over his exposed skin, thumb rubbing the new ink with adoration. "It's a reminder to walk in the light, especially when I feel quite dark."

Will pursed his lips and squeezed his hip tightly. "It's beautiful."

Nico hesitated, glancing anxiously between the ground and Will's intensely burning gaze. His chest began to fill with water, or was that air? It was so hard to breathe he might as well have been swimming in the stars. Yet, he managed to blurt out words, which led to more words, honest words, words that somehow hinted at the closest description of his feelings for the boy before him while still not coming close to doing the emotions justice.

"I, uh, I have you to thank for that, Will. You were there to pick me up without even knowing the good side to me, or whatever it is you call it when I was happier. You saved my ass, so thanks," Nico sighed. The blue orbs distracted him so. Will, for once, didn't smile. He was waiting on his words with such seriousness, Nico had to pour his heart out to him. "I just – I really love you, Will. A lot. Like, in love with you love."

All of Will's smiles were breath-taking, but this one was more. The way the sunset reflected in his eyes turned them golden, and his freckles made the smile that much more beautiful. Nico hadn't felt more love for him than in that very moment. His perfect, straight, wide smile reached his eyes, giving him one single dimple. Then, Will threw his arms around Nico's neck and pressed his lips to his.

The world was right again, and all nervousness drained out of his system.

"I'm madly in love with you, too, Nico di Angelo," Will bit his lip and slyly pulled away. "Tu sei il mio piccolo angelo."

You're my little angel.

Nico's heart grew unbearably warm as he stared with awe. "You spoke Italian…perfectly. That was beautiful."

Will blushed and pecked his cheek. "What one will do while in love…and confined to a hospital bed for weeks."

Nico fell into his chest laughing, and honest laugh with an honest smile. He was happy again. He could imagine that his mother was smiling at him, wherever she may be, because he kept his Italian influence with a state of pleasure. And maybe she wouldn't mind him being with a man if it meant he was happy and himself.

"Ti amo, il mio sole," Nico whispered lazily against Will's chest where he drifted into a lifetime of pleasure. "I love you, my sunshine."

A/N: Wow I don't think I've ever been so sad that a story has ended. This wasn't even my best writing in my opinion - poorly planned out plot. But it was fun. However, I have an idea on a new Solangelo story, but I don't want to do itttt cause I need to finish my last Clace story bc I'm horrible and don't finish stories omg.

Anyways, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE ENDING? I felt like that was a good time to end things, yeah? Idk. Maybe it was cheesy, but like I said, poorly planned out plot. But I love Kayla and Austin, kinda hate Lou (if you couldn't tell from her lack of a presence). Jk, I hate how the fandom has made her out to be so…annoying? Yeah. Anyways I really want to hear your feedback, please! Ending feedback is the best! Also the most helpful bc I obviously struggle to end stories well.

Follow me for any new stories because I'll surely have some out soon! Also, check out my other Solangelo work.

PS: I 1) need a beta reader plssss 2) would love to take any short story prompts!