This is my gift for @idioddyssey for @pjosecretsanta2016 (it wont let me friggen tag) sorry its late!
I hope you like it! Also sorry if the formatting is messed up I had to post this from my phone :/
-
A call came through just as Nico was putting groceries into his car. His sister’s face lit up his phone and he answered it.
“Pleaseeee Nico” Hazel pleaded over the phone. “Please come to the Christmas party.”
Nico sighed audibly. Again with the Christmas party.
It’s not that hates Christmas, but he prefers to share it with family and close friends and recently the company he works for decided to bring together its two branches, San Francisco and New York for one big joint Christmas party in New York, which means hundreds of employees that he doesn’t know.
“You have Frank going with you, why do I also have to be there?”
This time Hazel sighed, “Please Nico, Annabeth and Percy are going on holidays for Christmas, and Jason and Piper are going to visit Piper’s father. So it’s just going to be you, me, Frank, and Leo, if he doesn’t change his mind last minute and disappear again, it’ll be the last time you’ll see them till the new year.”
Hazel has a point, but the thought of putting on a pleasant face and playing nice with people he doesn’t know dissuades him, he does that enough as he travels between the branches as a HR representative, a job he doesn’t hate but doesn’t love, when does he also have to do it during the Christmas break?
“Pleaseeee Nico” Hazel begs after a few minutes of silence.
Nico knew that even he continued to say no he’s going get home to their shared apartment and she’s going to beg him all night.
“Fine. Okay.” he said, it’ll save him a night of torture.
Hazel let out a happy scream making Nico pull the phone from his ear to stop himself from being defended.
“Thank you! It’ll be fun, also you have to wear a Christmas hat, bye talk soon!”
Hazel hung up and Nico sighed. He was going to regret going.
Well, he did, but not as much as he thought.
A few people teased him for the santa hat he was wearing, but it was very entertaining to watch people he worked with get drunk.
The night had started off simple enough, a few speeches, the bosses thanking everyone for a great year of work, exchanging of secret santas, Nico had given Annabeth a book on Architecture, and he had received a $20 gift voucher to Hot Topic, which many people found hilarious.
And then came on the drinks and it seemed like everyone was drinking with the goal to get drunk.
Nico wasn’t, while he did occasionally had a drinks with friends, he was only 20 and wasn’t big on drinking in front of his bosses.
Nor was Percy, who Nico was pretty never had a drink in his life, though Annabeth did, Nico figured out when she came stumbling up to him.
“Nico!” She said loudly, wrapping her arms around him to give a tight squeeze, he tried to escape her grip before accepting that he was being hugged.
“Thank you so much for the present” she whispered to loudly in his ear.
Nico gave her a raised eyebrow as she pulled away.
“Percy told me, sorry” she said, whisper-yelling again.
Nico smiled, “it’s cool, glad you liked it” he said.
It wasn’t hard to buy for Annabeth, she was constantly raving on about architecture and studying it part-time, he only spent 30 seconds deciding what to get her.
Annabeth smiled a knowing smile and leaned it, “I know who got you your present.”
Nico was about to ask when Percy called out.
“Annabeth! There you are!”
He walked over and pressed a kiss to her cheek, “We should get going soon, our flight leaves at 7 in the morning.”
Annabeth nodded and hugged Nico again, he just let it happen this time, “Merry Christmas!”
Percy gave him a pat on the back and a smile, “Merry Christmas Nico.”
“Merry Christmas guys, have fun on your vacation.” he said with an easy smile, he had once had a crush on Percy and resented Annabeth, but it was had to hate either of them when he saw them together, it was easier to move on when he saw how much Percy loved her, how much they loved each other.
They left and Nico took a seat next to the nibbles table, idly played with the food when Will came over.
“Nico!” He said loudly. Nico had to suppress a groan.
It wasn’t like he hated Will, in fact he did enjoy Will’s company just as much as everyone else. It was just that Will was always so bright and happy, it was difficult to deal with everyday of the week, and Nico assumed drunk Will was worst.
“How you been?” Will asked in a drunken slur. Will was only freshly 21 so he probably took any opportunity to get drunk.
“I’m good Will, how are you?” he asked, attempting polite conversation.
“I'mmm…” Will blinked slowly as he trailed off, after a moment he started tipping sideways. Nico stood quickly to catch him but Will caught himself at the last second and straightened up.
“I’m good, I’m good” he said, holding up his hands.
Nico raised an eyebrow, “I think you should go home.”
Will nodded slowly, Nico reached out and grabbed his arms to keep him steady.
“Will? You need to go home.”
Will stared at him with deep concentration, “Nico,” he said softly. “Nico, I like you so much, but I’ve always been scared to say it because I think you hate me, Nico, Nico, I think I’ve loved you since the first day we met.”
Then there’s silence, Nico can even hear the music even though he’s pretty sure there are people in China who can, everything just sounded like white noise.
Will just confessed his love for him.
“Nico!” someone called out, barely audible over his thoughts, which were like a raging river.
Nico dropped his hands and took a step back from Will when Leo came bounding up.
“Nico! Ha! Hazel’s had a bit to drink and now she think she’s magic.”
Nico looked at Will, who was swaying and didn’t seem to be focusing on anything. “You should go home Will” Nico said.
Will nodded, “yep, I got a taxi coming, see you next year.” he said before stumbling away.
Leo grinned, “Will got you that gift, ha! He was worrying so much about what to get you, I told him to get that gift card for you, hilarious!” Leo said with a grin.
Nico glanced back at Will as he disappeared through the door.
Is this why Will always found an excuse to see him at work? Why, even before they were friends, he would wave him goodbye and welcome him back whenever Nico left on trips? Nico didn’t hate Will, how could you hate someone with such a bright an infectious smile. Who looked like the son of a literal god.
He needed move on, Will was drunk and apparently Hazel was drunk, he needed to focus on that.
Nico looked back at Leo with narrowed eyes, “Hazel is only 20, Leo, why are you giving her alcohol?”
Leo held up his hands in surrender, “I swear I only gave her like two weak ass drinks.”
Jesus Christ, Leo might not live till Christmas if Hazel is as drunk as it sounds.
Nico followed Leo and pushed away his thoughts of Will.
Nico woke to the sound of vomiting.
Him and Frank managed to get Hazel home safely, with Frank driving and Nico sitting in the back with Hazel laying in his lap, sleeping.
He was definitely going to kill Leo.
His phone went off and his fumbled around trying to find it in his bed.
Nico’s stomach dropped, was Will going to text him sorry, I didn’t mean what I said.
Even the thought sent waves of disappointment through him. He was being ridiculous.
I’ve got the biggest hangover.
I wonder why, Nico thought. He seemed not to remember what happened or else that would’ve been the first thing he mentioned.
Nico:
Yeah, you were pretty out of it last night, I had to tell you to go home.
Nico got out of bed and pulled on a loose shirt and made his way to the bathroom.
Hazel was knelt down in front of the toilet while Frank held her hair and rubbed her back.
“You okay?” Nico asked, not wanting to get to close since he could smell the vomit from the doorway.
Hazel turned slightly and gave him a thumbs up before throwing up again.
His phone went off as he turned away, he felt sick just hearing her throw up.
Will:
Jesus, I don’t even remember getting home, I barely remember the party, I hope to lord I didn’t do anything stupid.
If Will didn’t remember then Nico wasn’t going to tell him.
Nico:
I think you were fine, I only talked to you at the end of the night, you were fine.
“Who are you texting?” Hazel asked in a rough voice. She was now sitting in front of the toilet, Frank still rubbing her back, a worried look on his face.
Nico pocketed his phone and felt his face heat up slightly, “uh, Will, he was texting to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid.”
“Oh, he was trying to find you last night, something about needing to tell you something very important” Frank said.
Nico felt queasy and he didn’t think it was from the smell. “Oh,” he paused to steady his voice, “I saw him at the end of the night, didn’t say anything” Nico lied, he hated himself for it but it was better if no one knew, for Will’s sake.
Hazel stood up shakily, Frank’s arm wrapped around her to keep her steady, “you should invite him over for Christmas, I heard he wasn’t able to make it back home to his mother” Hazel said.
He returned to his bedroom as Frank and Hazel returned to hers.
Nico:
Hazel wants to invite you over for Christmas?
Nico sent the message and felt sick again, was he even going to be able to look Will in the face?
Minutes passed with no answer, then, just as Nico was going to get up and get some breakfast, Will replied.
Will:
Do you want me there?
The question caught him off guard, Will had never asked this question before, and Nico had asked similar questions before. If Will didn’t remember the night before, why would he ask that question. Nico needed to question him.
Nico spent a sleepless Christmas Eve Eve night trying not to think about Will’s hair and his eyes and his easy laugh and bright smile.
Then Nico spent a sleepless Christmas Eve night trying not to think about the next day, confronting Will. He managed to get hour sleep before waking up breathless with Will’s blue eyes in the forefront of his mind.
He sat in his bed for an hour trying to desperately to claw the dream from his brain, he hated himself for having it, and hated himself more for it not being the first.
The sound of footsteps made him leave his bed.
Hazel was up, starting to pull things out of the fridge.
“Morning” she said, looking much better then she did two days ago.
“Merry Christmas” he said, she abandoned her ingredients to walked over to the Christmas tree and grabbed a small present from the tree.
“It’s not much but, Merry Christmas” she said softly.
“I thought we agreed not Christmas presents” Nico protested but he accepted the present nonetheless.
“I know but I swear I spent nothing on it, just a little something to make you feel better” she said, then returned to her cooking.
Nico unwrapped the present to find a photo. It was a photo of all of them.
Him, Hazel, Frank, Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Leo, Reyna, Grover, even Will.
Etched into the silver frame surrounding the photo was a single word, over and over again.
Nico didn’t cry, but he came very close. He walked up to his sister and wrapped his arms around her.
“I thought you didn’t like hugs” she said with a small laugh.
“I’m making an exception” he said, giving her a final squeeze before pulling away, “I love you, Hazel”
Hazel beamed, “love you too, Nico.”
At 11:30, Hazel, Nico, and Frank were almost finished with lunch, when there was a knock on the door.
Nico, who had spent the last 15 minutes not really doing anything, made his way to the door.
The person on the other side knocked again before Nico reached the door.
“I’m coming, I’m-” Will stood on the other side of the door. “Will” said in a breathless whisper.
I think I’ve loved you since the first day we met.
“Merry Christmas” Will said cheerily, he shoved a present in Nico’s hands.
“Oh,” Nico said looking at the box with surprise, “you already gave me a gift.”
Will went red, “Ah, yeah, I’m sorry about that, Leo told me to get it, I didn’t realise it was a joke until you open it.”
Nico smiled and opened the gift, inside the box was a black scarf. Nico had to chuck his old one out because it was old and holy, so during winter his neck was always victim to the harsh winds.
Maybe it was the Christmas spirit, or maybe it was because he finally realised how his heart beat but he surged forward and hugged Will.
Will took a few moments but then he hugged Nico back.
“I like you so much,” Nico started, repeating Will’s own words back to him, “but I’ve always been scared to say it because I was unsure of my feelings, Will,” he paused and pulled away to look at Will’s face to see a surprised look, “I think I’ve loved you since the first day we met” Nico said, he wasn’t sure until the words flowed from his mouth.
Will went a deep crimson, “sorry, I shouldn’t have said that” Will said, looking down.
Nico took a step back before Will reached a grabbed him before he ran.
“I mean I shouldn’t have said it then, I should of asked you out or something, not when I was wasted at a staff party” Will said.
Nico stared a him, blinking slowly, then he reached forward, grabbing Will’s scarf and pulled him toward him.
He heart stopped when they kissed, it felt like a Christmas miracle. Nico had never been good with his feelings but here he was kissing a beautiful boy after telling him how he felt.
A loud wolf whistle broke them apart.
Leo sauntered down the hallway, a pile of gifts in one hand and another was curled in a fist in the air.
Nico grabbed Will by his hand and pulled him inside, “lock the door quickly” Nico said, not letting go of his hand.
His heart felt warm for the rest of the day.