•Nico•
I don't deserve this. I don't deserve him. He is so special and sweet that I sometimes wonder how someone so perfect could exist. Will did all of this for me and I'm the one who messed up in the first place.
Will set up a huge blanket fort in his living room and there is snacks and pizza and drinks.
There are movies set out and comfy pillows and lights.
"Will," I said breathlessly. "You did all this by yourself?"
"No," he admitted. "Percy and Annabeth helped."
"Still, it's incredible."
He gently guided me over to the mass of blankets and sat down, pulling me with him.
"How've you been?" I asked.
"Nico, you and I both know pleasantries are useless. I think based on how shitty I look and act, you can guess how I've been."
"Can't be worse than how I've been," I stated.
He sighed. "It's not a competition of who's misery is the greatest. That's not what this is about."
"Fair enough."
"Nico. I know that you don't want to, but please, if you want to keep this relationship," his hesitated. "Please tell me. Tell me everything. No matter what you've done, it couldn't make me feel any didferent."
A realization hit me. "You know what? All this time you've been trying to get me to open up. Well guess what Sunshine, I haven't heard any of your deep dark secrets."
He nodded,"okay. I tell you something, you tell me something."
"Deal."
He ran a hand through his hair,"I have a brother named Landon. He's in college, a sophomore, and majors in music. I miss him a lot, he goes to school in California, so we don't see him often."
"Wow." His brow furrowed,"Wow what?" I shrugged,"Why didn't you tell me before?"
His expression was conflicted,"I, I wanted to, but then I learned about Bianca and I didn't want to, you know. I'm really sorry Nico."
I nodded,"It's okay Will. I guess it's my turn. Um, so when I was around ten, I was obsessed with this card game called Mythomagic. It was the Greek god equivalent to Pokémon. There were cards with the different gods and little figurines to go with. Now that I think about it it was sort of stupid."
He shook his head,"It's not stupid. Why did you stop playing?" "B-Bianca." He didn't press me for details, just continued with our deal.
"When I was in seventh grade I got, I got made fun of a lot. I came out to this guy Daniel, who I had had a crush on since sixth grade, and he told everyone. I was beat up, laughed at, called names, some boys even teepeed our house. I switched schools and only told three people."
His eyes had drifted toward the floor. "Will I'm so sorry, I know what that feels like." I decided to tell him before I changed my mind.
"Will I'm just gonna go out and say it. Ever since I was a little kid I've struggled with depression. After my mom died I sort of didn't know how to react, and day by day the grief got heavier. Bianca helped, she was my rock. But when she died I was so beside myself I didn't even know how to function. I felt like I was drowning. I fell into a dark place, I started cutting, it made my guilt lessen. I almost died once, and all I remember thinking is,'I deserve this, I deserve to die.'" Will put his arm across my shoulders,"Nico you have nothing to feel guilty about."
"Oh but I do Will, because I'm the reason she died. Bianca and her best friend Zoë were going camping together and I begged to come with. Bianca was sixteen, so he agreed."
He comtinued. "We didn't live in the city at the time. So we were driving towards the woods that were about twenty miles away from home.
I'd never been before, so the junkyard on the side of the road intrigued me. I had wanted to get a closer look so I walked with Bianca and Zoë to see it. We were standing just inside the entrance when I was saw it. At the top of a pile of trash, there was a small figurine.
A Mythomagic figurine.
I begged her to go get it for me and being the good sister she was, she did. But the wind was really strong that night and a pile of scrap metal that had been hanging on a crane arm fell. She tried to jump out of the way but it was too fast. The figurine went flying through the air and landed at my feet as I turned away. When I looked back, there was a horrified Zoë and a pile of metal where my sister once stood."
I finished, tears dripping down my face. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the rusted piece of metal. My fingers clenched tight around the tiny statue. Will slowly pulled them away.
"Hades," he said. "The god Hades." I nodded sadly,"It was the only one I didn't have. My dad was named after him."
Will didn't say anything, just held me tighter. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened to Zoë?" A sob escaped my throat and I breathed in deeply. "So it turns out Zoë had an abusive relationship with her father. Bianca saw once, and threatened her dad. She said she could have our dad over there in a minute if he touched her again, so he agreed to stop. But...but once Bianca was g-gone, nothing stopped him from releasing his rage. The next day they found the house empty. He bolted. They never found him. What they did find, was a dead Zoë Nightshade—"
My body jolted as I let loose a sob. They didn't stop and came in waves. Tears poured out.
I jumped out of Will's arms and worry stretched across his features. "Nico?" Will said.
"Why?" I questioned. "Why aren't you telling me what an awful person I am? Why aren't you telling me to get out? Why aren't you walking away like everyone else does?"
He bolted up and a look of disbelief was on his face. He almost looked angry. "You really don't get it do you?" He asked incredulously.
"Get what Will?" I exclaimed.
"That I'm freaking in love with you Nico! I've been tripping over myself to get close to you. I practically killed myself two times over with worry about me being a good boyfriend, and you're so damn hard to read it makes me even more nervous! But you're too busy wallowing in your guilt and sadness to see that you are loved by so many people! Including me!"
"I—" My mouth couldn't form words. He loved me? He took both my hands and my eyes glued themselves to the floor. He got down on his knees so I was forced to look at him. "Nico," his voice was soft. "I love you."
"I," my heart pounded. "I love you too." Will stood up slowly and and gently leaned down, connecting our lips. I relaxed immediately and wrapped my arms around his waist. His hands held my face softly. I pulled away and leaned into his chest, listening to his soft heartbeat.
"I'm sorry," I said.
He kissed my forehead. "Don't be sorry, just stop being an idiot di Angelo."
"Will, thank you. I really needed to tell someone about my past, and I'm glad it was you." He smiled and sat down in the fort. I laid down to the side of him and turned to face him. He covered me up and then himself. "Do you want food? Or do you want to watch something?" He asked. I shook my head and ran my fingertips across his cheek. "No, I just want to stay here with you."
All of a sudden Will smiled widely. "What?" I asked. "Oh nothing, but now I can tell you this as much as I want."
"What?"
"I love you."
Okay so I know this chapter was sad but you gotta admit it was cute as hell. So there it is. Nico laid it all out. And Will still thinks Nico is the best thing ever. (So do I Will, so do I.) This is why I was a day late, I hope it was worth it. So I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please remember to vote and comment. Thank you good peoples. Until next time, -Morgan.