ꜱᴏʟᴀɴɢᴇʟᴏ ᴏɴᴇꜱʜᴏᴛꜱ

Out Of The Bag

Bohemian Rhapsody- Queen

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         Nico didn't quite understand why his friends were so adamant about him getting out of his cabin and enjoying some fresh air. He already did that enough, he thought. What with Will dragging him to breakfast at the crack of dawn (okay, more like nine) and Jason and Percy always begging to spar and Chiron signing him up to teach classes. Nico had quite enough fresh air and camp involvement.

       Still, being a part of a secret club was kind of thrilling. Even if that secret club was formed mostly because camp gossip was boring and it wasn't like they didn't see enough of each other already. Still, Nico wouldn't say he disliked it.They were at this month's meeting. The meetings were monthly as Reyna couldn't always get away from New Rome, and Percy and Annabeth were taking much-needed vacations away from Camp Half-Blood every now and then. Which left Nico and Jason the only two members of the club still considered Half-Blood campers.

"Did you bring the food?" Jason asks. Nico nods. It was Percy's idea to have a picnic this time. Nico had been in charge of getting the food as he could carry it the easiest via shadow-traveling. He dumps his hoard of food onto the picnic blanket.
"So, anything new since our last meeting?" Reyna asks. She was slower to get any news that wasn't life-threatening. "Any new campers or quests?"

Jason shakes his head. "A few new campers. No quests. Thank goodness." Reyna smiles.

"Annabeth and I are looking at an apartment," Percy says. Nico was happy for Percy. He and Annabeth had started college and were now looking for a place to move in together. Reyna was helping them look for places in New Rome. "We've got our eyes on a place, but Annabeth's still looking to remodel a little."

Jason shrugs. "Might as well do it now before you start living in it." Percy nods. They settle into a comfortable silence, munching on the sandwiches and fruit Nico had brought.

"Surprised to see healthy stuff," Reyna says. "I thought we'd all be treated to McDonald's or something."

Nico rolls his eyes. "Too expensive. This stuff was free." It was partially true. But he also thinks that Will has a sixth sense for whenever Nico wants to do something unhealthy. The other week, he'd tried to sneak a Happy meal into camp, and Will had shown up at his cabin just six minutes later.

"Will's talked some sense into him," Jason says. "He can only eat McDonald's twice a month now."

"Which is completely insane," Nico grumbles. The camp's burgers were nothing close to McDonald's.

"So you and Will are friends?" Reyna asks. Nico nods.

"I kind of thought you two were dating," Reyna says. Jason and Percy nod. "What with the way you two are always together and such."

Nico shakes his head. It wasn't that he was ashamed of dating Will, but it was still new to him. They'd only been together for about three weeks now, and Nico was still trying to get ahold of the skeletal butterflies that threatened to overtake him every time he saw Will. He and Will had agreed to keep their relationship a secret until Nico was more comfortable.

"He's my doctor," Nico says. "Or so he claims."

Jason smiles. "Don't worry, Nico. You two will be kissing in no time."

Nico flushes, burying his face behind his sandwich. "Enough about Will. He can probably hear you." Reyna laughs.
"All the better. Maybe he'll be less stingy with the details." She pokes Nico's arm to show she's kidding.

"There's nothing to tell," Nico says, finally getting control of his blush. "We're just friends."
-
Reyna was sure something was up between Will and Nico. Since she'd started visiting Camp Half-Blood, she'd noticed the son of Apollo always hanging around Nico. At first, she'd thought that he was bothering Nico and was going to politely ask him to step back. But then she saw how Nico's face would light up whenever Will appeared, and she decided to just wait and see.

But it had been four months, and nothing had happened yet. Sure, Nico was oblivious and still getting used to his sexuality. But Will was very straightforward and obvious. There had to be some realization that there were romantic feelings involved.

Reyna sighs. She hopes she won't have to spell this out for Nico. Maybe she can get Jason to do it. As much as she hates meddling in peoples' lives, she also wants to see Nico happy. And she's never heard Nico laugh so hard as when Will accidentally had milk coming out of his nose. And there were other things, too. The gentle touches, the smiles, the way that Nico would blush whenever Will was present.

If things hadn't changed by this meeting, she was going to take matters into her own hands.
-
Nico was late, and it was all Will's fault. Well, partially his, too. But it wasn't like he could tell Will about the secret club meeting in the woods without violating the secret part.

He finds his friends all circled around their usual spot. Reyna's playing some kind of card game against Percy. Jason's moderating. Even though Nico's only ten minutes late, it seems as if war is being waged.
"What's up, Nico?" Percy doesn't even look up as he says this, too busy trying to win. Reyna offers the same kind of hello.

"Only those two would take a game of luck and make it life or death." Nico shrugs. Sometimes life was just luck. Tough luck in their case. Jason looks like he's about to say something else when he pauses, looking Nico over. Nico's starting to get uncomfortable when Jason quirks up his eyebrows and crosses his arms. He's grinning, which is never a good sign.

"Wanna tell us why you were late?" Jason asks.

"I was helping in the infirmary," Nico says. Which was true. Up to the point where Will and he had escaped out the back and ended up in Nico's cabin. "They're pretty busy today. Guess there was some big accident on the climbing wall."

"And were you in the accident?" Jason asks. Nico can feel Jason's eyes on him. On his neck, specifically. A thought crosses his mind; he denies it. But no, the moment flashes back, and he remembers with striking detail Will's lips on his skin. And then Nico decides he'll have to kill Will later. He's got Jason to deal with now.

"I think Nico has something interesting to share with us," Jason says. This gets Reyna's and Percy's attention. Nico can see the moment when they all realize what's happened.

"Say something!" Nico huffs. They're all just staring at him, various stages of shock and amusement.

"Just a friend, huh?" Reyna teases. Nico flushes. "So, spill."

"We've kind of been dating, I guess," Nico says. "For about a month at this point." He shrugs. Under their eyes, he feels kind of unsure. "We wanted to keep it secret until we were ready."

"Judging on those marks, I'd say you two are definitely dating. And very bad at hiding it." Percy whistles. "So, is Will a good kisser?"

"Yes," Nico says. Because why deny it?

Reyna's grinning. "I think I'm going to have to talk to this Will Solace while I'm here. Just to make sure we're on the same page." Nico's eyes widen, and then he's taking off after Reyna.