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Chapter Text

The di Angelo’s are Slytherins. This fact has been ingrained into Nico’s brain his entire life. Generations of di Angelos have proudly worn silver and green emblems and leaned into their prideful, cunning, and ambitious nature. As an eleven-year-old Nico di Angelo was ushered into the Great Hall, the thought never crossed his mind that he could be anything other than a Slytherin. His father had reassured him at the train station before he was sent off to his first year that Nico would carry on the proud legacy, in the footsteps of his sister and parents, because Nico was a Slytherin through and through (although crying when his sister scrapes her knee because he feels so bad for her doesn’t really scream prideful or cunning).

As he slowly made his way to the Sorting Hat, he felt nerves race up his back (but surely that was because of all the people watching him). He sat on the stool, looking out into the crowd of people. Nico could hear the Sorting Hat whispering in his ear, but he didn't quite listen as he made eye contact with his older sister sitting proudly at the Slytherin table, watching him intently. He waived gently and she offered a slight smile, but it dropped quickly into a scowl as the Sorting Hat announced Nico’s house.

“Hufflepuff!”

Nico’s eyes immediately dropped to the floor, his face burning. He was frozen, unsure of what to do next. He felt someone pat his shoulder behind him and then nudge him forward, but as he finally looked up, it wasn’t Bianca that caught his eye but a boy with golden curls waiting impatiently in the crowd of remaining first-years. The boy’s hands twitched and there was a glint in his eyes. Nico looked back to the ground as he shuffled over to the Hufflepuff table. As he sat, he folded in on himself despite older students that were gently rubbing his arm or sweetly smiling at him. He felt his lips begin to tremble and tears form in his eyes, but he pushed the emotion down. His feelings are what got him here in the first place, he didn’t need to be even more of a cry baby than he already was.

An older boy sitting next to Nico patted his arm to grab his attention and Nico looked up at him with panicked eyes. The older boy smiled at Nico.

“Hi, I’m Frank. What’s your name?” he introduced.

Nico, with a shaky voice, whispered his name. Frank nodded, noticing how panicked he seemed.

“What’s wrong?” Frank asked gently.

“Um,” Nico started, his voice cracking, “I’m supposed to be in Slytherin and my dad is going to be mad at me.”

Frank frowned, eyebrows furrowing “Well, I can tell you for sure that you belong here with us. And I’m sure everything will be okay with your dad, and if it isn’t, we can be your family now.”

Nico still felt the doubt seizing, but whispered “Thank you.”

Nico looked up to see the blonde boy be called up to the Sorting Hat. The boy sat down in a huff, still fidgeting. The Sorting Hat was on his head for just a moment before it made the decision.

“Slytherin!”

A brief second of shock flashed across the boy’s face before he broke out into a smile and jumped off the stool to run to his new housemates. Nico made the mistake of letting his eyes follow the boy to the Slytherin table where Bianca sat, staring Nico down. Nico made eye contact with her and felt the anxiety resurface tenfold. He looked down at the hands in his lap and stayed that way for the rest of the meal, abstaining from any food.

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Nico had been at Hogwarts for three weeks when he finally received a letter from his parents.

The morning that he received it, he had made his way to the Great Hall with the group of second and third years that had seemingly adopted him. Frank had made it his personal mission to befriend and protect Nico that first night, so he had dragged him along to meet all of his friends. Frank’s friends were a lot, all of them loud or confident, and each of them very different. Despite the variety in the group, none of them were Slytherins. Grover Underwood was in Hufflepuff with he and Frank, Percy Jackson, Jason and Thalia Grace, Reyna Ramirez-Arellano, and Piper McLean were all in Gryffindor, and Annabeth Chase and Leo Valdez were both in Ravenclaw. Nico found a strange sense of freedom in these people, and part of him relished in the distance from anything Slytherin. But even though Frank and his friends were trying hard to take Nico under their wing, he missed his sister and his family. The first two days, he had been inconsolable as he was completely convinced he was going to be disowned. He had also been running from his sister at the very sight of her, rationalizing it by saying she couldn’t reject him if she couldn’t talk to him.

But Nico’s artificial, deflection-caused peace ended quickly when the owl first dropped the envelope unceremoniously in front of his plate. He was initially overjoyed that it wasn’t a howler. Frank nudged his arm and gave him a concerned look. Nico quickly grabbed the letter and shoved it under his leg, and then gave Frank a small smile. Frank seemed suspicious of Nico’s reaction but he had quickly learned to let Nico choose when he wanted to share what he was feeling.

Nico tried to continue breakfast normally, but the contents of the letter were looming in his mind. The sharp corners of his family stationary dug into his thigh and all of a sudden he could feel the weight of a stare on his back. He whipped his head around, looking towards the Slytherin table and expecting a disapproving scowl from Bianca to be aimed at him, but instead he met bright blue eyes. The boy from the first day (who he also, coincidentally, sat behind in Defense Against the Dark Arts) was staring at him, his golden curls messy atop his head. Nico immediately felt his face burn but the boy just smiled proudly and unashamed. Nico turned back to face his housemates, but the feeling of being watched never really faded.

Nico left the dining hall before most of his house that morning, he wanted time by himself to read the letter from his parents. He gripped it tightly in his hands as he rushed out the doors and down the corridor. Had he not been so distracted, he may have heard the footsteps echoing behind him before his name was shouted.

“Nico!” someone shouted.

Nico froze, recognizing the voice. He turned around to see Bianca walking up to him, a softened look in her eyes. His lip had already begun to wobble as he felt the panic surge in him, certain that he was going to be criticized by his sister. Nico backed up against the wall nearest to him, trying to make himself as small as possible.

“Nico, please, just let me talk to you,” Bianca pleaded.

Nico looked down at his shoes, “Please don’t yell at me,” he whispered.

“Yell at you? What” Bianca questioned, “Nico, I’m not going to yell at you. You haven’t let me talk to you the entire time we’ve been here. Why?”

Nico looked up into Bianca’s eyes, irritation flashing across his face, “What do you mean ‘Why’? I’m a Hufflepuff, Bianca. Not a Slytherin. I have ruined the family legacy and I don’t need you, or dad” he said, holding out his letter, “reminding me of the disappointment that I already know that I am.”

“Nico, you didn’t ruin anything. I’m not disappointed in you, in fact I'm the furthest thing from it. I’m so happy that you are in Hufflepuff, I didn’t think you would fit in as a Slytherin,” Bianca said.

Nico’s face softened at her words and the tension curling around his spine released. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it quickly, instead lunging at Biana and wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

Bianca hugged back immediately, burying her face in his mop of hair.

“Nico, I love you. I don’t ever want you to think that I don’t or that something could change that,” Bianca whispered to him.

He pulled away from his sister and nodded, “I’m sorry that I’ve been avoiding you.”

Bianca grinned at him, “Oh please, little brother. I’ve got spies all over this place that have been keeping an eye on you for me.”

“What?” Nico asked.

“Percy Jackson is my potions partner and I told him that if he wants to pass this year, he better make sure that you’re okay,” she told him.

“Bianca!” he muttered, “I can take care of myself.”

“I know,”she sighed, “but I wanted to be sure. Now, why don’t you read that letter, hmm?”

Nico brought the letter up and studied his own name on the front. It was clearly his step-mother’s handwriting and that fact alone seemed to soothe his fears that his father was writing to disown him. He flipped the envelope over and broke the seal, pulling out the piece of parchment and unfolding it. Bianca watched him expectantly as he read it, waiting for a reaction. “And?” she asked.

Nico sighed, his eyes still scanning the parchment, “Hazel misses us. Dad is being surly.”

“When is he not,” Bianca stated, “But what really?”

“Persephone expected this. She never thought I would fit in with Slytherin. Dad still needs some time, but she says that he knew deep down as well, that I’m not a Slytherin. I have never been a Slytherin,” Nico said.

Bianca smiled, “See? Everything is going to be okay. We are happy you’re in Hufflepuff because it means you’re where you are supposed to be.”

He nodded, “I know. Thank you.”

She reached out for her brother, “Now, don’t ever ignore me like that again. I’m always going to be there for you, don’t let yourself get too caught up in your own head.”

Nico hugged her tightly as Bianca ruffled his hair. He pulled away a moment later as Bianca spoke again, “Now go back to your dorm, you need to be ready for classes tomorrow.”

He scrunched his nose, annoyed by his sister's overprotectiveness, but still turned away with one final wave to make his way to the Hufflepuff dorms. He walked slowly, still working through the letter in his mind. He kept his head down, watching his shoes shuffle along the stone floor as he felt the panic start to seep back in. What if his father never really did accept him? Before his paranoia truly set in, Nico ran straight into another body, knocking them both down.

“Oof!” the person said, “You okay?”

Nico stood up, dusting off his pants, and looked to see who he had run into. It was the boy, the one from the Sorting ceremony and his Defense Against the Dark Arts class. He suddenly noticed how very blonde he actually was, like woven sunshine. The smile on the boy’s face was shocking for somebody who was just knocked over, and it was distinctly not-Slytherin.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Nico shouted, “I’m okay. Are you okay?”

The boy was standing now, and his smile seemed to widen and his eyes were warm, “Totally fine. I’m Will. Will Solace,” the boy said, holding out his hand.

Nico hesitantly grabbed it to shake, “Oh. Good. I’m-”

“Nico di Angelo,” Will interrupted, a blush spreading across his cheeks, “I, um, I know your sister. We are in the same house.”

Nico smiled, “Bianca? You just missed her.”

Will nervously rubbed his palms against his pant legs, “Oh, that's okay.”

A silence spread quickly between the two, neither sure what to say next. Nico shuffled his feet, looking down, “So, um,” he started, “I better get back to my dorm.”

“Yeah! Yeah, definitely,” Will said, “Um, have a good day, Nico.”

Nico smiled at him, “You too, Will, I’ll see you around.”

Nico turned and kept walking towards his dorm, listening to Will’s steps echo in the opposite direction.

The next day, Will smiled at him when he saw him in Defense Against the Dark Arts. It seemed like Nico had made his first actual friend.

---------------

Half-way through Nico’s second term of his first year, he was thriving. Frank’s friends didn’t treat him like a stray puppy anymore but besides that, he had made his own friends. He and Will went to the library together almost everyday, and Will had introduced him to his other friends like Cecil Markowitz and Lou Ellen Blackstone, who were also both in Slytherin.

That day, Will had met him on the lawn where he was sitting with Frank’s friends. Nico was trying to teach Will his favorite card game, mythological creatures and gods pitted against each other and you could enchant the cards so little holograms would actually play out the battle. Percy was talking about their plan to go to the Whomping Willow that night and see who could get the closest.

“You’re an idiot, Percy,” Annabeth sighed.

“It’s gonna be great! You should come! Grover, Thalia, and Bianca are coming, so is Bianca’s friend Zoe!” Percy exclaimed.

“I can’t, I have to study. This Potions test next week is stressing me out, it feels like the weight of the sky on my shoulders,” Annabeth sighed.

“Be careful, Wise Girl,” Percy teased, “You’ll turn gray on me.”

Annabeth smacked his shoulder, and Percy feigned injury.

Nico, who had been quietly trying to explain his game to Will, suddenly spoke up, “Can I come?’

Will gave him an incredulous look, and Percy winced.

“Sorry, Neeks,” Percy said, “No. Bianca would kill me if I let her baby brother come along.”

Nico huffed, “I’m not a baby. You’re only two years older than me.”

Will nudged his shoulder and turned to whisper, “It’s probably good that you can’t go, I need help studying for the Dark Arts exam and you’re the only one who understands it. Plus, who knows what could happen at the Whomping Willow.”

Nico nodded stiffly, “Yeah, I guess. I’m gonna head to the library. Will, you can come if you want. Percy, make sure my sister stays safe.”

“Of course, Neeks,” Percy reassured.

Nico walked away quickly, annoyed. Will caught up, keeping in step next to him.

“I just don’t get it,” Nico ranted, “I wish Bianca would stop treating me like I’m five years old and just let me do something.”

Will didn’t quite understand Nico’s struggle, but he nodded in agreement anyway.

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The next morning, Will and Nico walked into the Great Hall for breakfast. Nico frowned instantly, “I don’t see Bianca.”

Will looked around, “I don’t see Percy, Grover, or Thalia either. They probably got caught out of bed last night.”

Nico shook his head in agreement, but something felt wrong. He and Will walked their separate ways to their respective tables and Nico sat down anxiously across from Frank. Frank gave him a concerned look, but before Nico could respond, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked behind him to see Chiron, the headmaster, standing behind him. Nico’s stomach dropped.

“Mr. di Angelo,” Chiron said, “May I speak with you in my office?”

Chiron didn’t wait for his response and began walking out of the Great Hall. Nico stood quickly to follow him, stumbling behind him. His mind was racing as they walked to the office. Was his sister being expelled? Nico could feel panic racing through his body, tightly wrapping around his spine and seemingly pulling him downward. He wanted to curl up into himself, the anxiety was becoming too much. As he walked into Chiron’s office, he saw Percy, Thalia, Grover, and Zoe all huddled in chairs. Nico looked around the rest of the room, not seeing Bianca anywhere. Was she already sent to pack up her stuff?

“Where is my sister?” Nico asked.

Percy looked back at him, his eyes bloodshot. Nico felt like he wanted to throw up.

“Percy, where is my sister?” Nico demanded.

Percy shook his head, “I’m so sorry, Nico.”

Nico stumbled back, and looked desperately at the other people in the room. Thalia and Zoe wouldn’t meet his eyes. Grover looked at him, eyes filled with regret. Nico whipped his head to look at Chiron.

“Is she in the infirmary?” Nico asked, already knowing the answer.

“Mr. di Angelo,” Chiron started.

“No. No,” Nico shouted, “No, she’s okay.”

Nico could feel something within him stirring, magic within him. As a child, Nico had done small spells without a wand. Simple things like breaking a glass or growing his hair out when his mother had cut it too short for his liking, but this was dark. He could feel it bubbling at the surface, waiting to break out.

Nico heard Percy call out his name and he turned to him, rage burning in his eyes.

“You promised she would be okay!” Nico shouted.

“It was an accident,” Percy tried to explain, but he was ripped from the chair and shoved against a bookshelf, though no one had touched him.

“You promised! You promised me! And now, now she’s dead!” Nico screamed as Percy was raised from the floor.

“Mr. di Angelo,” Chiron said sternly, “Put Mr. Jackson down.”

Nico turned away from the all, his eyes burning a whole in the ground as he heard Percy drop to the ground.

“I want to go home,” Nico whispered, keeping his eyes down.

He felt his knees buckled beneath him and he fell to the ground in a heap, his entire body trembling, “Please let me go home.”

Nico left Hogwarts that night, and Will watched him drag his trunk out the door. Will didn’t really know what happened, though he could guess, and he didn’t know when he would see Nico again.

-----------------

Nico finally returned to Hogwarts to begin his fourth year there. His father had hired tutors to get him through what was supposed to be his second and third year, but Nico decided he wanted to come back. Shockingly, Reyna and Jason had convinced him of that. They had started sending him letters that summer and Nico had decided he tolerated (liked) them. Plus, Hazel had begged him to come back after she decided her first two years at Hogwarts without either of her siblings was the worst possible thing.

When he walked onto the train, with Hazel trailing behind him, he made them claim an empty compartment. He sat in the corner against the window and buried his face in the collar of his jacket, hoping it would only be him and Hazel in there. That wish was quickly abandoned as Reyna pulled the door open and promptly sat right next to him, followed shortly by Jason.

“Look who it is, the Ghost King himself,” Jason teased.

Nico scoffed and looked out the window, ignoring him.

He heard the door open again and glanced over to see Frank popping his head in.

“Um, Reyna, Thalia wants to know where you are,” Frank said softly, “Also, hey Hazel. Hi Nico, it's so good to see you.”

Nico began to roll his eyes but he saw the blush across his sister’s cheeks after Frank’s greeting and eyed the two of them suspiciously.

“Tell Thalia that I’m here and not leaving, and that as much as I love her, she is also not welcome to join us. If she comes over, soon enough we'll be trying to fit the entire group in here and that isn’t going to work,” Reyna stated.

Nico was grateful for her response, he was still hesitant about seeing everyone again, especially a certain few.

As Frank left, Nico turned to Reyna, “What’s up with you and Thalia?” he asked.

Reyna’s eyes softened, but he was unsure because he mentioned Thalia or because of pity for him, but she answered quickly and confidently, “Nothing, we are just in the same dorm.”

Nico stared at her, unsure how to respond. He wanted to tease her, but he also never wanted to talk about, or to, Thalia ever again. He could feel the anger pool in his stomach, resentment overtaking his mind. He remembers being very young, when his mother was still alive, and her telling him that the di Angelo’s tended to hold grudges. From that point on, he watched his father very carefully and he saw the way his father’s bitterness over business and family drama overtake him, especially after his mother’s death. His mother’s words hung heavy for years, but when he was sorted into Hufflepuff, he thought he had escaped the fate of his father. Instead, everyday he was overwhelmed by the blinding fury every time he’s reminded of it. He knows someday that the anger is going to boil over. He has been suppressing it for years, willing himself to pretend that it was okay anytime one of them came to visit. It was sickly ironic that the only people who really came to see Nico at the beginning of it were the very people who he blamed for it. He pushed down his urge to lash out at the very mention of them and leaned into the “I’m a traumatized boy” assumptions they made instead. Rather than say anything, Nico turned back towards the window. He felt the train start to move and his anxiety spiked. It was too late to back out, he was going to Hogwarts.

Nico was hoping to stay silent the entire train ride, but Jason ruined it in the final few minutes. “So, Nico, um, I know how you feel about this. And about them,” Jason says cautiously, “But I feel like I should warn you that Annabeth, Leo, and um, Percy, are really excited to see you.”

Nico’s eyes darken as he looks at Jason, scowling. Jason visibly gulps.

Jason continues, “I, uh, I told them to be calm and not get too excited, but I don’t know how much they will stick to that.”

Nico knew what Jason was trying to say, he didn’t know how much Percy would stick to that.

Nico sighed, “Thanks for trying, Jason.”

The train came to a stop, and Nico stood up quickly. Jason, Hazel, and Reyna all looked at him with a surprised look. Nico shrugged, “What? I just want to get this all over with.”

They all stood too and gathered their things, exiting the compartment and trying to make it off the train before the bulk of other students made it into the aisle. As Nico stepped off the train and into the air, Nico was hit hard by the memory of his first year, and the giddiness he felt. Now, instead of anxious excitement, it was panic that struck him the most. He was walking towards the main entrance, trying to keep his head down, when he heard his name being called.

“Nico!”

He whipped his head around and quickly found who called out, Percy Jackson was running up to him, their other friends trailing behind. Percy quickly caught up to him and draped his arm across Nico’s shoulders, pulling him closer. The butterflies that Nico felt were unwanted.

“It’s so good to see you! We are all glad you’re back,” he said loudly, gesturing to everyone else.

Thalia, Grover, Piper and Leo smiled at him, and Frank waived, having already seen him. Nico looked over to Annabeth and she smiled too, but it seemed a lot more sympathetic, “Hi, Nico” she spoke softly.

Nico nodded at them and pulled away from Percy as he saw Jason, Hazel, and Reyna walk up to them as well. “So, Neeks,” Nico winced at the nickname, “Are you excited to be back?” Percy asked.

Nico frowned lightly, “Um, I guess.”

“Oh, come on!” Percy teased, “The best times are here!”

As soon as he said it, Percy’s smile dropped and everyone seemed to hold their breath. Nico’s eyes shot up to look at Percy, his face steeled. “Not for everybody, Jackson,” he snarled.

Nico grabbed his satchel from where he had dropped it at his feet and walked away, pushing past Percy. All he could think about was how much he wished he hadn’t come, Hazel would have eventually stopped begging and he could have ignored Reyna and Jason’s letters.

He had his hands shoved in the pockets of his slacks, and suddenly his tie felt too tight. Maybe he could skip dinner and go straight to his dorm. Did he even have the same dorm? Was he even still in Hufflepuff? Real Hufflepuffs can’t be this angry, Nico didn’t even know where he belonged anymore. Suddenly, he was pulled from his thoughts as he ran into someone.

Nico stumbled back and looked up to apologize, but was shocked by the face he saw. Will Solace was staring down at him, and all Nico could think about was how his hair was still so blonde and that he had gotten much taller.

“Nico?” Will asked.

“Oh, um, hey,” Nico mumbled, “What’s up, Will?”

Will shook his head as if he could shake off his shock, “I’m good. Yeah, good. How are you? I mean, that’s a stupid question, but are you okay? You seem upset.”

Nico wanted to be annoyed by Will, who acted like he knew anything about Nico, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to feel anything other than flustered, “Yeah, just anxiety I guess. It’s um, strange to be back here.”

Will smiled at him, his eyes warm, “That’s fair. Well, I’m glad you’re back. I haven’t done well in Defense Against the Dark Arts since you left.”

Nico smiled, “I’m sure I can help-” he was cut off.

Percy had caught up to him, and grabbed his shoulder. Nico swung his head around to see who grabbed him and instantly recoiled from the touch, backing into Will again. In a moment, his body language had shifted to a defensive and afraid stance. He glared at Percy, “What do you want?” he spat.

Percy seemed hurt by the venom and shifted on his feet, pulling his hand back, “Listen, Neeks, I’m sorry for what I said.”

Percy paused, and in that moment Will quickly realized how uncomfortable Nico was, enough so that he hadn’t yet realized his back was against Will’s chest and seemed to be hiding beneath him. Will looked up at Percy, and frowned, “I think you should leave.”

Percy looked at him, shocked, “What?”

Will cocked his head, “I think you should walk away, Jackson.”

Nico looked up at Will and saw how Will’s eyes were now cold and hardened. Percy seemed annoyed, and took a slight step forward, “Listen, Solace, I don’t think you know what’s going on.”

“You’re right, I don’t, but I still think you need to leave Nico alone.”

Percy looked to Nico and saw his eyes averted to the ground, refusing to make eye contact. He turned back to Will, and scowled slightly, but turned away. As soon as he saw Percy retreating, Nico realized how he was standing and stepped away from Will awkwardly, looking up at him. Will seemed to deflate slightly and the icy look in his eyes melted, “You okay?”

“Yeah, um thanks for that, you didn’t have to,” Nico mumbled.

Will scoffed, “Yeah I did, Jackson needs to be taken down a notch sometimes. Plus, you’re my friend, right?”

His eyes widened, a blush spreading across his cheeks, “Oh. Yes, yeah. Friends.”

Will looked to the ground and shuffled his feet, “So um, I’ll see you around?”

“Definitely, how else are you going to get through Defense Against the Dark Arts?” Nico teased.

Will grinned at him and waived as he walked away, and Nico smiled back. Maybe it would be okay this year, as long as he could minimize his interactions with Percy.

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Nico got through almost two months without seeing Percy at all. It wasn’t too hard, they didn't have any classes together and Nico resolved himself to not hang out with anybody (Although, this rule didn’t seem to apply to Will Solace). But still, Nico knew his isolation couldn’t last forever. Nico sat at the Hufflepuff table with Frank and Hazel, pushing food around his plate as Frank talked to him about who knows what. He felt Frank kick his shin and he looked up, annoyed, but Hazel was looking at him expectantly and Frank just gestured behind him. Nico turned his head around and saw Percy standing behind him. Nico scowled and turned his head back to the table, “I don't want to talk to you, Percy.”

Percy sighed, “You don’t have to say anything, Nico, just listen, please. I’m sorry, Nico, for what I said that night and for what happened. I should have thought about it more and I should have kept her safe. But I can’t undo what happened, and I regret it every single day. I don’t expect you to forgive me, I wouldn’t forgive me, but I want us to be okay, eventually. I know that I can't expect you to be okay, but I’m trying to make it okay, or at least better. It won’t ever be okay. But I’m sorry, I am so sorry, and I promise that I will keep trying to earn back your trust and forgiveness.”

Nico’s fork clattered against his plate, he didn’t want this. He didn’t want Percy to be nice to him and to be so, so Gryffindor, all noble and loyal. And he hated how he felt butterflies erupt in his stomach, how he felt his cheeks flush. He wanted to hate Percy. For what he did, for what he still does. Instead, he just hated himself. For liking Percy even though he got his sister killed, for not being able to let go or move on, for not insisting more that he come with that day. Instead of saying any of this, or being brave for just one moment, he just pushed it down and turned back around to Percy and stood up.

“It’s okay, Percy,” Nico stated.

Percy visibly relaxed, “Really?”

“Yeah, really. But, I'm gonna go. I, uh, I think I left something in my room and I need it for class today,” Nico muttered.

Nobody said anything about Nico’s blatant lie, it was a Saturday, there weren’t any classes today. Percy’s eyebrows furrowed, “Oh, for sure. Um, have a good day.”

Nico started to walk away, “You too, Percy. I’ll see you later, Hazel.”

Nico walked out of the Great Hall but he could feel eyes on him as he left. At first, he thought it was Percy still but soon he heard steps start to echo behind him. For a moment, he remembered Bianca chasing him down during first year but he shook the memory away. Nico slowed his steps slightly to let his pursuer catch up, and just before they were next to each other, Nico spoke, “What’s up, Solace?”

Will stopped for a moment, but quickly started moving again as he realized Nico wasn’t stopping, “How did you know it was me?”

Nico smirked, “I could feel your icy glare on the back of my head.”

“Oh,” Will huffed, “I don’t really think my gaze is icy.”

Nico stopped abruptly and turned to face Will, “I don’t know, Solace, you seemed pretty cold with Percy the first night.”

Will’s cheeks were burning, but he chuckled, “Well, I guess that's the Slytherin in me. Speaking of Jackson, what were you two talking about.”

Nico frowned, “Nothing,” he said coldly.

“Oh,” Will said, panicking at Nico’s sudden retreat from him, “No! I mean, I’m sorry I asked.”

“It’s fine,” Nico said, “I have to go.”

“Wait! Nico, really, I’m sorry that I asked. It’s your business and I shouldn’t have tried to pry.”

Nico sighed, “Will, truly, it's okay.”

“I mean, you say that,” Will huffed, “But you got all closed off and you aren’t flirting anymore.”

Nico froze, all expression dropping from his face, “Flirting?”

“Well, yeah. Is that not what was happening?”

“I wasn’t flirting with you. Why would you think that? What did I do or say or look like to make you think that?” Nico shouted, stepping away from Will rapidly, “I wasn’t flirting.”

“Whoa, hey, Nico, I’m sorry for assuming,” Will started.

“You should be,” Nico said shortly.

Nico turned around and started walking away as fast as possible without running, he passed Jason as he rushed down the corridor and he called out to him. He chased Nico down the hallway and into the bathroom he was trying to hide in. As the door slammed shut behind Jason, Nico whirled around, eyes burning, “What is it with people following me and trying to talk to me! Just leave me alone!”

Jason seemed unphased by Nico’s anger and he stepped toward him. Jason crossed his arms stubbornly, visibly refusing to let Nico intimidate him. “Nico,” Jason said, “You don’t scare me. What happened?”

“Nothing happened! Nothing happened because it doesn’t matter!” Nico shouted.

“I don’t believe you. I saw you talking to Percy and you just screamed at Will. Why? I thought you and Will were friends?” Jason asked.

“I’m not friends with Will fucking Solace.”

“Oh really?” Jason scoffed, “You just go with him to the library almost everyday because you hate him?”

Nico was still furious but he started to shrink in on himself. He wanted to run away.

“What is wrong? And don’t say nothing, because that isn’t true. Why do you hate Percy so much? He is trying so hard to make it up to you,” Jason pushed.

“I don’t hate Percy!” Nico shouted.

“Then what’s your problem?”

“I like him! I have a fucking crush on Percy Jackson! And maybe Will too, because apparently I’m just a giant fucking mess!”

Jason’s arms dropped to his side and his face paled in shock. Nico could feel his eyes begin to water as panic raced through him.

“Nico,” Jason whispered gently as he reached out to Nico, but Nico recoiled and felt his back hit the sinks.

“No, don’t say anything , Jason. Don’t try to comfort me or be nice. I have a crush on Percy even though he got my sister killed, even though I have every reason to hate him. I’m stupid and pathetic and latch on to anybody who gives me an ounce of attention. Or maybe you were going to tell me it’s disgusting, I’m disgusting. But I don’t want to hear that either, I’ve already gone through that by myself and it sucks, it fucking sucks. Just leave me alone,” Nico said.

He wasn’t sure when he had started crying, but at some point tears were streaming down his face and Jason was still looking at him in shock. Nico wanted to leave but he was frozen in place, fear and shame drowning him.They were both silent, the bathroom echoing every slight shift of their feet. Eventually, Jason spoke, “It’s okay, Nico.”

“What?” Nico mumbled through tears.

“It’s okay. You’re okay, and you’re not disgusting or pathetic or stupid. You’re just you, and you can’t do anything about that and you shouldn't try to be anything else. We love you, no matter what, no matter who you like,” Jason said softly.

Nico looked at Jason, his lips trembling and knees buckling. Nico seemed to collapse on the floor in a heap, and Jason rushed over to him, hugging him. Jason wasn’t really a hug person, and Nico pretended not to be, but it seemed like the only thing to do at the moment. Nico buried his head in Jason’s shoulder, sobbing. They sat there for a while, Jason was waiting for Nico to calm down and Nico was waiting for Jason to get tired of him and leave. After what felt like an hour, Nico realized that Jason probably wasn’t going to leave anytime soon and pulled away, keeping his eyes to the floor.

“What do you want to do, Nico?” Jason asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you want to go to the library, or your room? The dining hall? Maybe the infirmary? Do you want to tell anyone else right now, or ever, and if you do, do you want me to be there to support you?” Jason clarified.

Nico seemed taken aback by the offer, “You still want to help me? Even after I screamed at you and got tears and snot all over your shirt?”

Jason rolled his eyes, “Did you not listen to anything I said? I’m your friend Nico, and I love and care about you, now don’t ask any more stupid questions.”

Nico smiled at Jason’s response, “Thank you,” he whispered.

“You don’t have to thank me. Now what do you want? Or do you need more time to think?” Jason asked again.

“Um, I’m not sure. Maybe just get out of the castle for a bit, take a breath.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

Nico shook his head, “No, but thanks. I just need to be by myself for a bit.”

Jason nodded as Nico stood up, brushing off his pants. Jason followed and took a step back from Nico, giving him space. Nico slowly made his way to the bathroom door, trying to will away his red eyes before he left the bathroom. He shot a look over his shoulder at Jason, and smiled at him. Maybe it would be okay, at least Jason was there, and probably Reyna too. Nico walked out of the bathroom, tear stains on his face but feeling lighter than he had in years.

---------------

Nico had stayed away from Will for a few days, working up the courage to talk to him. He finally caught him walking out of class and rushed up behind him, tapping him on the shoulder. Will was smiling at his friends but as he turned around to see Nico, his smile dropped. Nico internally winced at the reaction, but he was determined. “Um,” he started, “Can I talk to you? In private?”

Will looked at his friends who were eyeing Nico suspiciously and gave them a nod of reassurance, they seemed cautious but walked away, leaving Will and Nico alone as the corridor emptied. Nico shifted anxiously on his feet, wringing his hands as Will looked at him expectantly. Suddenly, Nico was losing his nerve.

“What do you want, Nico?” Will sighed.

Nico looked around, panicking. He felt sick. Will sighed and started to walk away, but paused as Nico suddenly spoke.

“Why are you in Slytherin?” he blurted.

Will cocked his head, looking confused and somewhat irritated, “What do you mean?”

“Um, I just, I don’t really get it. I’ve been around Slytherins my entire life and I’ve never met one like you,” he stuttered.

“I’m ambitious, I want to be a doctor. I like being the leader, and I’m pretty resourceful, I think. Plus, people have told me I can be a little cold,” Will answered.

Nico scrunched his nose, “Cold? You’ve never been cold to me.”

“Yeah, Nico. Never to you.”

Nico blinked, surprised, “Oh.”

“Yeah, ‘Oh’,” Will huffed.

“I- I’m sorry for freaking out on you the other day,” Nico whispered.

Will squeezed his eyes shut, “It’s fine, Nico.”

Nico shifted, gaining some confidence, “No, it isn’t. I shouldn’t have yelled at you, it wasn’t okay. I was upset and it wasn’t your fault but I took it out on you, and I shouldn’t have.”

“You got pretty defensive, it seemed like my fault.”

“Yeah, well, I was kinda going through a thing. I was hypersensitive.”

“I’m sorry for pushing you, I shouldn’t have said that thing about flirting. I think I was, um, projecting.”

“Projecting?”

“Yeah, projecting. Because I was flirting with you,” Will said.

“What? Really? Why would you like me?” Nico questioned.

Will scoffed, “Are you kidding? You’re kinda gorgeous. Plus, you’re smart and kind, even though you try to be all steel and angst, and you’re funny. I need a little bit of Hufflepuff to keep me grounded.”

Nico turned beet red, shocked, “Huh. Well, um, you’re, those things too. And you’re not cold to me, you’re warm and understanding and I’m so sorry that I yelled at you. I was freaking out about you thinking that I’m gay.”

Will seemed to pull away slightly, “And you aren’t?”

“No!” Nico shoued, “I mean, yes! I’m gay, I am very gay. I am a homosexual. I just wasn’t totally on board with myself yet and I was struggling with this stupid crush that I had on Percy, and I was a mess. I screamed at Jason too about five minutes later.”

Will pulled back even more, “You have a crush on Percy? As in, Percy Jackson?”

Nico was panicking again, he was pushing Will away because he didn’t know how to explain myself. He reached out and grabbed Will’s arm, clutching tightly.

“Will! Listen, I’m explaining this so badly, please just give a second,” Nico pleaded, “I did have a crush on Percy. But it wasn’t really a crush, I was just, I don’t know, confused and I idolized him and freaked out about myself. It was misplaced emotions, and if it makes you feel better, I hated him at the same time. I’m still working out exactly what I feel but the stupid crush I had on Percy wasn’t anything, and it’s not the same as it is with you, at all.”

Will paused for a moment, then smirked, “With me?”

Nico, already beyond embarrassed, just sighed, “Yes, with you. I like you.”

Will smiled, “I like you too.”

“Well that’s good, it’s good to know that I haven’t totally misread this conversation.”

Will chuckled, and stepped towards Nico. “So,” he started, “Since we both like each other, and you’re gorgeous and I’m “warm”, whatever that means, there is a trip to Hogsmeade this weekend. Do you maybe want to go with me, as a date?”

Nico smiled, “Definitely, but I have a question,” he said, stepping forward as well.

“Hmm?” Will whispered.

“Can I kiss you?”

“Surprised you haven’t yet.”

Nico leaned upwards, going on his tiptoes as he wrapped his arms behind Will’s neck, and kissed him soundly. Will smiled into the kiss immediately, putting his hands on Nico’s waist and pulling him closer still. They kissed in the middle of the corridor until Nico became self conscious by the public-ness of their affection, and he sighed, pulling away as Will rested his forehead on Nico’s. “You know,” Nico said, “Not to get too ahead of things, but my Dad is going to like you.”

“Oh yeah?” Will said, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yeah, you’re a Slytherin.”

Chapter Text

The days between Nico’s confession to Jason and when he talked to Will were, emotionally rocky, to say the least. Nico walked around the courtyard after he left Jason in the bathroom and tried to sort through what emotions were really Nico’s, and what were products of trauma, shame, and idolization. He still felt uneasy at the idea of anybody knowing he was gay. He was already so sensitive and so many people knew about the biggest traumas of his life, he didn’t want to add another thing to the list of possible weaknesses. But he also felt so much better after telling Jason. The weight wasn’t gone but it was like he had someone to share it with, that maybe he didn’t have to be as alone as he thought. Nico had convinced himself that pulling away from everyone was in his best interest, so that he couldn’t lose anyone in the same way again, but it really just meant he was losing himself. He wasn’t the same person that he was when he first came to Hogwarts, not that he necessarily wanted to be, but after his sister’s death and isolating himself for years, Nico felt permanently tarnished. The joyful and carefree person he was at eleven seemed disgustingly foolish at first, but now he longed for that peace again.

By the third day of extreme self-analysis, Nico decided he didn’t really have a crush on Percy, or at least not anymore. Nico admired Percy when he was younger and even after Bianca’s death, he couldn’t quite shake the desire for Percy to notice him. That, combined with a major sexuality crisis, had seemed like the world’s biggest crush. Plus, it didn’t hurt that Percy was easy on the eyes, but he wasn’t really Nico’s type. He was too chaotic and unpredictable and although he may be hyper, he didn’t radiate the warmth that Nico craved after years of forcing himself into the dark. Percy was fun and exciting, and even refreshing sometimes, like the ocean, but he was far too erratic. Nico wanted constance and stability, he wanted sunshine to pull him away from the shadows of a life he no longer had. Nico wanted Will. Will who had always been kind to him, who had tried to protect him, who treated Nico like he wasn’t a damaged kid with a dead mom and sister. Will, who was like sunshine. When Nico saw Will dart out of the classroom with his friends, all he could think about was that sunshine as he ran up to him in the hallway, tapping on his shoulder.

----------------------

The week after Nico had apologized to Will and they had gone on their date in Hogsmeade, their relationship was still caught in a gray area. They liked each other, they both really liked each other, but Nico wasn’t ready to come out to the entire school, and Will wasn’t either. The wizarding world had made a lot of progress in the last years, but they weren’t naive enough to think that they wouldn’t receive unwanted backlash if they suddenly became the only openly gay couple in the school. Nico also had to deal with coming out to his friends, specifically his sister, Reyna, and Percy.

Nico told Hazel privately and they had both cried. He was terrified she would reject him, and Hazel was overwhelmed by Nico’s confession and the idea that he ever thought she wouldn’t love him. When Nico had finally spit it out, Hazel hugged him and he cried on her shoulder. She had held on tightly and said, “Nico, I love you. I don’t ever want you to think that I don’t or that something could change that,”

Nico’s heaving sobs at her words probably seemed like a reaction to the reassurance, but Nico remembered when Bianca had said that to him. The grief of her loss came flooding and he was suddenly drowning in her absence. Nico clung tight to Hazel and realized how similar the moments were. Nico being hugged by his sister as he panicked over being rejected for uncontrollable parts of his identity. Hazel pulling away snapped Nico out of his daze and she grabbed the sides of his face dramatically and forced him to look at her. Nico wanted to laugh at her actions but the moment was too serious and sincere.

Hazel seemed to be trying to stare into his soul, “Seriously, I love you. Does this mean you’re going to stop being so brooding all the time?” She asked sternly.

Nico rolled her eyes at the question and pulled his face out of her grip, but smiled anyway, “I’m not brooding.”

Hazel raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, “You’re really going to try to play that? Nico, I’m pretty sure most of the people at Hogwarts have never heard you speak and are afraid of you.”

“I’m not scary, Hazel,” Nico argued, “I’m a Hufflepuff.”

“And who told you Hufflepuffs can’t be scary? The only person I know who isn’t scared of you at all, besides myself, is Will Solace, and I have no idea why,” Hazel said.

Nico’s cheeks burned and she picked up on it immediately and gave him a cheeky smile, “But it seems like you know why.”

Nico shoved his hands in his pockets and suddenly found his shoes very interesting, “Um, yeah. We kinda went on a date.”

He heard Hazel intake breath sharply, trying to contain a squeal, “And?” she eyed him expectantly.

“And it went well,” Nico answered, “In fact, I kinda have to go because I’m supposed to meet him in the library.”
Hazel gasped and shoved him away from her, “Why didn’t you say so? Get out of here, loverboy!”

Nico laughed at her as he stumbled away and toward the library. When Nico walked in, he spotted Will buried in a textbook at a table by the door. He smiled at the sight of him and walked over, sitting down next to him. Will lifted his head up from the book and grinned widely at Nico, closing the cover. Will leaned forwards toward him instinctively, “How did it go?” he asked.

Nico sighed, “Good. Really good. I shouldn’t have been worried. I think I’m going to tell Reyna today too.”

Will reached his hand across the table towards Nico’s, “That’s great! Then, you don’t have to tell anybody else.”

Nico rolled his eyes, “Uh huh, sure. I know it makes you uncomfortable, but I am going to tell Percy, sooner rather than later.”

Will looked at Nico with wide eyes, “I don’t want you to think that I don’t want you to tell Percy because I’m trying to control you, or because I’m jealous, though I am a little. I just think that he hurts you too much and I don’t want it to happen again, this whole thing is hard enough without Percy Jackson being insensitive.”

Nico nodded, “Will, I know. I understand, but I just need to get it off my chest. I don’t want that stupid secret to weigh me down anymore. But I want you to be there, and Jason too probably.”

Will smirked at that, “Ooh, so I get to stare down Jackson? Awesome.”

“Calm down, Solace. Your Slytherin is showing.”

“I’d call it more’ protective boyfriend’ rather than Slytherin” Will countered.

Nico paused, “Boyfriend?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah? Is that not what you'd say? Oh god, I’m pushing you into this too fast, aren’t I? I’m so sorry!” Will panicked.

Nico waived his hands, trying to calm Will down “No! No! I like boyfriend. Boyfriend is good. Really good!”

Will deflated slightly, “Oh, good.”

Nico grinned, “Yeah.”

“Well, I’m glad we are on the same page, now.”

“Me too, but seriously, your protective boyfriend was showing.”

“Hmm, I find it hard to believe that you mind it at all.”

Nico blushed “Yeah, okay, I guess I don’t.”

-------------------

Nico left the library after a few hours, determined to find Reyna. He was riding a high of honesty and he was trying to take advantage of it. His fear was pushed down by how light he felt. Opening up to the people closest to him was the best thing he has done since his sister's death and he regretted all the years he spent convinced that being alone was somehow better. He knew that Reyna had Quidditch practice today so he rushed out to the fields. He also knew that the rest of the team would be there, including Percy, but he was hoping to catch her after most of the team had cleared the field.

He tried to walk silently up the bleachers so he could watch them discreetly, but it didn’t seem to matter how graceful or careful his steps were, as soon as he sat down, his cover was blown. Percy flew up in front of him, grinning, “Neeks! Come to see the competition?”

Nico scoffed, “I’m not on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, Percy, so no. Um, I’m actually waiting for you to finish so I can talk to Reyna.”

Percy cocked his head, “Oh really? I’m hurt, I thought I was your favorite Gryffindor Quidditch player.”

“Not even close, Percy,” Nico said.

Nico took note of the lack of butterflies or blushing he experienced while talking to him, and he smiled.

“Okay, well, we still have ten minutes left of practice before Ravenclaw comes and takes the stadium, so you’re gonna have to hold on,” Percy told him.

Nico nodded as Percy flew back to practice, and he saw Reyna fly by him as well, waiving. He watched as they finished what looked like a scrimmage, Reyna as a chaser and Percy as keeper. She seemed very intent on trying to score on Percy as much as possible and although he was a great keeper, even he had to lose sometimes, especially when it was Reyna playing against him. As she scored on him one final time, Percy called the practice. Nico heard him shout to his teammates about a good game and when the next practice was but they were already scattering. Nico jumped to his feet and ran to the edge of the bleachers, calling Reyna’s name. She turned her head to see him standing on the bleachers and she directed her broom toward him, quickly flying over to him and dismounting, panting slightly still from practice.

“Hey, Nico,” she huffed, “What’s up?”

“Um, hey, can I talk to you?” Nico whispered, scratching his head and glancing over to the field to make sure that the rest of the team, especially Percy was gone.

Reyna furrowed her eyebrows, sitting down and placing her broom next to her. Nico sat as well, foot tapping anxiously.

“Of course, what’s wrong?” Reyna reassured.

“Well, nothing is wrong, I just, I need to tell you something. I’ve known this for a while, I guess, but I’ve just recently come to, um, terms with this. I hope that this doesn’t change anything but I need to tell you because I- I care about you,” Nico started.

Reyna was looking at him softly, “Nico?:

Nico inhaled sharply, “I’m gay, Reyna.”

All expression dropped from Reyna’s face and Nico panicked, terrified that she was going to reject him or berate him. He pulled away from her slightly and was about to backtrack his words when she spoke.

“Me too.”

“What?” Nico asked, incredulous.

“Me too. I’m gay too. And dating Thalia,” she answered.

Nico’s eyes widened, “Oh. Well, congratulations.”

Reyna grinned, “Kinda surprised you didn’t already know. But then again, you are pretty oblivious, you don’t even notice Solace’s massive crush on you.”

Nico blushed, looking down, “No, I noticed.”

Reyna quirked an eyebrow, “You did, huh? Well, that's good. His flirting was becoming kind of obnoxious.”

He scoffed, “Sorry, I don’t actually think he is going to stop doing that anytime soon. But at least I realize what he’s doing now.”

Reyna chuckled, “Yeah, I guess. So what’s the deal with you two?”

“Um, well, we are dating kind of. Not kind of, actually. We are dating, he’s my boyfriend”

“I’m glad you finally figured that whole thing out with him. Who else have you told?” She asked.

“Hazel and Jason,” he said.

Reyna smiled brightly at him and stood up, holding out her hand to him. Nico took it, standing as well. She pulled him into a hug, “Thank you for telling me, Nico. I care about you too, so much. And I’m sure Hazel and Jason already said this, but stop being so self deprecating and let people help you. We love you and we want to support you, and nothing will change that.”

Nico nodded into her shoulder, he didn’t really know what to say so he mumbled, “A lot of people have hugged me lately.”

Reyna pulled away and looked him right in the eyes, “Don’t pretend you don’t love it. You’re a Hufflepuff.”

Nico rolled his eyes but smiled at her anyway, as much as he may deny it, she was right. Nico craved affection, especially after years of isolating himself. Reyna stepped back from him and picked up her broom, “I have to go, but if you need anything, I’m here. I know I may not be the most open but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to help you.”

“I know, and I’m sorry that I try to pull away from you,” he sighed.

“Don’t apologize. Have a goodnight, Nico” she said as she walked away.

Nico shoved his hands in his pockets and waited a moment before following her back to the castle, maybe Will was still in the library and he could catch him one last time before dinner.

--------------

The day that Nico had decided he was going to tell Percy, he made Jason and Will listen to his game plan as he gave them strict instructions about what they can and cannot do, although that was mostly for Will. “Don’t say anything, unless it gets really weird or bad, and don’t loom behind me. I don’t want Percy to think that I’m trying to gang up on him or attack him,” Nico directed.

Will rolled his eyes, “I don’t know, attacking Jackson sounds pretty good.”

Jason chuckled and Nico shoved Will’s shoulder. “See, none of that, Will,” Nico said.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. I’ll keep quiet,” Will reassured.

Nico shook his head at Will’s response, but he turned to face the library door, “Okay, let’s go.”

Nico walked into the library, Jason and Will following, and started to walk down the aisles, looking for Percy. He found him huddled in a corner with Annabeth and Nico panicked, looking back to Jason and Will for reassurance. “Don’t worry, Nico. You don’t have to tell him right now if you don’t want to, but I’m certain that Annabeth will only support you,” Jason said.

Nico took a deep breath, still panicking, but turned back around and started to walk over to where Percy and Annabeth were sitting. He stopped right in front of their table and they both looked up at him, looking a little surprised. Nico could feel Jason and Will behind him and their presence calmed him down. Annabeth smiled slightly at them all, greeting them with a nod, but Percy grinned widely and leaned back in his chair, “Hey guys!”

“Hey, Percy,” Jason said smiling.

Will didn’t say anything, just rolled his eyes and tried to look disinterested. Nico looked down at the surface of the table and felt the anxiety wash over him. His breathing started to get shallow.

“Nico?” Annabeth asked, looking at him as if she knew what he was about to say.

Nico wanted to hate Annabeth, he really did. But she was always nice to him and she never pushed him, and looking at her now, he knew that she would support him too. Nico steeled his nerves and looked up at Percy.

“Percy, I have to tell you something.”

Percy looked confused and leaned forward again, no longer seeming so relaxed. “Okay?” he questioned.

“I had a crush on you. That’s why I was so, moody, I guess, for like three years. And it’s why I lashed out at you. I’m sorry,” Nico stated.

Percy and Annabeth both looked shocked for a moment but Annabeth shook it off quickly, Percy didn’t. He was opening and closing his mouth like a fish and his eyes were wide. Nico wanted to laugh at him but he deemed that inappropriate. Annabeth smiled at Nico brightly, but Percy just stuttered out, “What?”

Nico sighed, “I’m gay. I liked you. Now, I don’t.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t!” Will jumped in.

Nico whipped his head around to glare at Will who had a cold look in his eyes, but when Will saw Nico’s look, he grinned sheepishly at him. Nico smirked and turned back to face Percy.

“Are we good?” Nico asked softly.

“Um, yeah, yeah. Sorry, I just, I’m kind of shocked,” Percy told Nico, “Not because it’s bad! I don’t mind that you’re gay. Not that it matters what I think either! I just, I just always thought that you hated me.”

“I kinda did hate you too, if it makes you feel better,” Nico shrugged.

“Um, thanks?” Percy said.

They were all silent for a moment and looked back at Jason and Will. They both smiled at him and Jason put a hand on his shoulder, “I’m proud of you, Nico.”

“Me too, plus, you’re kinda hot when you get all confident.” Will teased.

Nico’s face burned and he hit Will on the arm hard, “Shut up! You’re an idiot.”

“Ooh, do you have a boyfriend, Neeks?” Percy asked, immediately going back to teasing Nico.

“Percy, you’re being an idiot too, Nico will hit you too,” Annabeth said, shoving his shoulder, “Thank you for telling us, Nico.”

Nico took a step back from the table and reached an arm behind him quietly, grabbing Will’s hand and intertwining their fingers. He looked up at Will and he was smiling at him, his eyes warm and comforting.

Jason patted Nico’s shoulder reassuringly and told him that he had to leave to meet Piper. Nico waived him off and turned back to Percy and Annabeth one more time and smiled. They smiled back and Nico turned away, pulling Will with him out of the library.

---------------------

Nico and Will had been officially dating for three months and Nico was still getting used to the constant affection. Don’t get him wrong, he loved it. He was a Hufflepuff and even though he may seem scary or intimidating, he would die for a hug. But it was strange to be so open with someone and they got weird looks from their friends sometimes. Apparently, Will was pretty cold to almost everyone. He certainly wasn’t mean, just closed off and sometimes overly formal with people. He could also be a little arrogant, part of it was his own ego and part of it was general annoyance with everyone else.

That day, between Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, Will and Nico were sitting on the grass with Cecil, Lou Ellen, Jason, Piper, and Leo. Will and Nico were sitting next to each other, their legs crossed over each other as they each finished homework for their next class. Piper, Jason, and Leo were chatting quietly about the upcoming N.E.W.T.s and Cecil and Lou Ellen were trying their best to distract everyone.

“You know, one time I saw Will stare at a Gryffindor so coldly they turned to ice,” Cecil said.

Leo turned away from his own conversation immediately to jump in”That’s awesome, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Solace.”

Nico glanced up from his parchment and smirked at Cecil, “Oh really? Was it Percy?”

Will scoffed without looking up but Cecil leaned forward, “No, just a regular Gryffindor who happened to be distracting during study hall. Although, I think I would pay to see Will glare at Percy, the force of the glare would surely kill him on sight.”

Nico chuckled and Will mumbled to himself about exaggerations and Nico leaned back to brush his shoulder against Will, flashing a teasing smile at him. He finally looked up Nico, a shockingly soft look in his eyes and Nico dropped his smile, suddenly worried.

“You don’t think I’m mean, right?” Will whispered just loud enough that only Nico could hear.

Nico shook his head quickly, grabbing Will’s hand, “No, no. Of course not. Why would you think that?” he asked, speaking quietly as well.

“I just, you’re a Hufflefpuff. I don’t want to make assumptions but surely it has to be like, bad for your image to be dating a Slytherin, especially one who is apparently so notorious for their ‘icy glare’” Will worried.

“Will, if you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly a great representation of a Hufflepuff,” Nico told him.

Will gave him a disbelieving look, “Nico, I’ve literally seen you make grabby hands at me because you wanted a hug, that seems pretty Hufflepuff.”

Nico blushed but turned his whole body to face Will, practically sitting on his lap, “Yeah, but that is only with you. Plus, I could still beat you up.”

“I know,” Will said, smiling.

“And it’s the same thing with you. You’re not mean to me, I’m only so, ugh, Hufflepuff-y as that with you. And I’ve never actually seen you be mean to anybody, except maybe Percy, people just seem to confuse you being closed off as you being rude. They aren’t the same,” Nico told him.

Will nodded and then leaned his head to rest on Nico’s shoulder. Nico relished in the touch, grateful for the fact that someone liked and trusted him enough to be so openly affectionate. It was a peaceful moment, until Nico heard the snickering behind him. He didn’t have to turn around to know that Cecil and Leo were the ones doing it and as much as he wanted to turn around and whack them, he had a better idea. Nico tapped lightly on Will’s shoulder and he looked up. Nico leaned close to his ear and whispered in his ear, Will nodding and moving as if he was going to drop his head back down, but instead he just looked over his shoulder at Cecil and Will. The two of them stopped laughing immediately, caught in the glare they just called deadly. Nico smiled widely, and wrapped his arms around Will’s neck, hugging him as he continued to glare.

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The next school year at Hogwarts was the last for a lot of his friends. Although he was only going into his fifth year, many were going into their seventh. Nico wanted to be afraid, some of his best friends were leaving soon, but he knew that he wouldn’t be alone. Frank was still going to be there for a year after, and Hazel was a year below him. And he had Will, who would be with him the whole time. So, Nico decided he was going to take the year in stride. He also decided he was going to try and connect more with his House. He had Grover, Frank, and, of course, Hazel but besides that, his housemates steered clear of him. He didn't blame them, he didn't exactly fit in with the Hufflepuff image. Eleven-year-old Nico was a Hufflepuff through and through-- loyal, kind, sensitive, patient-- but 15-year-old Nico was absolutely not. A weird mix of puberty and trauma has caused a slight (major) personality shift in him. He wasn't the opposite of those things exactly, but he was slower to trust, more reserved, shyer. His close friends saw the Hufflepuff in Nico clearly, but he wanted to be seen as a Hufflepuff by everyone and no longer receive questioning looks in the corridor when he brooded and also happened to be in his yellow tie.

Nico was talking to Will about his desire to make friends with his fellow Hufflepuffs as he laid between his legs, his back resting against Will’s chest as he sat against a tree in the courtyard. Will had been reading a book, his arms wrapped around Nico’s waist so he could hold the book in front of both of them. Will had been humming in acknowledgement and occasional agreement as Nico spoke, but he paused at Nico’s words suddenly.

“Maybe I just need to-- I don’t know-- change a little,” Nico sighed.

Will slammed his book closed and threw it to the side, grabbing Nico’s waist. He flipped Nico around so they were facing each other, Nico fully in his lap and looking down at Will with shocked eyes. Will cupped Nico’s face, “Hey, no. You don’t need to change for anyone. I know that you want to connect more with your House and I am so glad that you are feeling comfortable enough to even think about it, but you don’t need to change to do that,” Will said, his tone sharper than normal.

Nico’s eyes dropped and he wanted to pull away, instead he turned his head and leaned his cheek into the palm of Will’s hand, finding comfort in the touch. “But haven’t I already changed? A year ago, I never would have let anyone be this close to me,” Nico muttered.

Will brushed his thumb against Nico’s cheek, “I guess you could look at it like that, but I wouldn’t really call it change. You’re opening up and growing, it's part of healing and maturing. But forcing yourself to change to please other people? That isn’t. Any “change” you should go through shouldn’t be to make other people happy, it should be to make you happy,” Will told him.

Nico looked back at Will and smiled softly, “You’re kind of right, I guess,” he conceded, although he still felt insecurity pulling at him.

“When am I not?” Will teased.

Nico scoffed and leaned to wrap his arms around Will’s neck, “Careful, you don’t want to sound too arrogant.”

Will leaned forward as well and Nico could feel his breath brush against his nose, “Hmm, I don’t know arrogance is in my nature.”

Nico didn’t say anything else, instead capturing Will’s lips on his own. Will smiled into the kiss for a moment, but then started nipping gently at Nico’s lips. Nico sighed softly and shifted in Will’s lap, and Will gripped his waist tightly. Nico pushed forward and gently licked at Will’s bottom lip and he opened his mouth eagerly. Just before the kiss deepened further Will heard laughing behind them. Nico must have too because he pulled away quickly and buried his head in Will’s shoulder, trying to hide his face. Will could swear he felt the warmth of Nico’s cheeks through his robes and sweater as he turned around to see who was laughing. Will searched behind him and saw Percy and Jason laughing, failing to hide behind a pillar. Annabeth and Piper were sitting to side of them, trying to ignore the two but shaking their heads in annoyance and fondness anyway. As Will caught Jason’s eye, Jason started to walk towards him and Nico with Percy trailing behind him. As Jason stood in front of them, he was still chucking. “Whats up, lovebirds?” he asked.

Nico whipped his head around to glare at them. It may not be as cold or deadly as Will’s but he knew that it was intimidating (and that Jason and Percy were a little scared of him). Jason smirked at him and Percy made a kissy face, both still clearly intent on trying to push his buttons. Nico shot up from his spot on Will’s lap and quickly stalked over to stand in front of them, “What are you guys doing here?” he asked harshly.

“Well, we were coming to see if you and Will ever planned to come to dinner, but clearly the answer was no,” Jason said.

Nico heard Will stand up behind him and walk over. He swung an arm over Nico’s shoulders and shot a lazy grin at Percy and Jason, but his eyes did not share the same inviting look. Nico subconsciously leaned into the touch and crossed his arms, frowning.

“You know, Nico, you really should be more careful. What if a first year was walking by and saw that little scene? You need to be a role model for the younger students,” Percy scolded jokingly.

Nico scoffed loudly and rolled his eyes, “Percy, I literally watched you try to ride your broom blindfolded yesterday, at least I won’t teach the ‘younger students’ to be stupid.”

Percy opened his mouth and looked offended, but Jason just laughed more. Jason reached out and shoved Nico’s shoulder lightly, “We’re just messing with you, Neeks. I’m glad you have Will.”

Nico relaxed slightly but still shot a warning glance at Percy who looked like he wanted to say something, but Jason kept talking. “And Will?” Jason said, catching his attention “I'm sure you never intend to, but if you hurt Nico, I’ll kill you.”

Will seemed afraid for a moment but he looked down at Nico softly, “You don’t have to worry, Jason.”

Nico blushed but leaned his head onto Will’s arm. Annabeth called out to Jason and Percy, pulling them away. Percy gave them both a sheepish smile but Jason just waived. Nico smiled at them and turned back to face Will, gripping the collar of his robes with both hands and pulling him down to him. Will seemed surprised but smiled, raising his eyebrows.

“Hey there, love, whats up?” Will asked, grinning as his face became level with Nico’s.

“Percy and Jason are annoying,” Nico whispered.

“I concur. Although, I guess Jason isn’t so bad, but Jackson is obnoxious.”

“You really do hate him, huh?”

“What can I say? He hurt you. And, if I’m being honest, I might be a little jealous too.”

“You don’t have anything to be jealous about, Will, I like you. Only you.”

“Well that's good, or else this would be very awkward,” Will said as he darted forward to kiss Nico soundly on the lips.

Nico released Will from his grip that was dragging him down, but as he did so, Will wrapped his arms tightly around Nico’s waist and pulled him up so his feet were no longer touching the ground. Nico squeaked at the action but didn’t break the kiss, his arms locked together behind Will’s head. Instead of deepening the kiss, Will pulled away and started pressing kisses along Nico’s jaw and neck and Nico tilted his head back, letting out a sigh. Will started to walk them back against the tree they were sitting against earlier and Nico finally wrapped his legs around Will’s waist, hooking his ankles together. As they hit the tree, Will bit down slightly on the crook of Nico’s neck, not able to go much further down because of the collar on his shirt, but that didn’t seem to matter. Nico moved his hands to tangle them in Will’s hair and with each nip, he pulled lightly. He suddenly tugged Will’s head back from his neck so he could kiss him on the lips again, immediately forcing Will’s mouth open.

“Oh my god.”

Will and Nico pulled back abruptly and looked to see who had spoken, both certain at first that it was going to be Jason or Percy again. Instead, they saw a group of young girls, second years at most, staring at them with wide eyes and red cheeks. Nico had already hit his quota for embarrassment that day, so he just tipped his head back against the tree and took a deep breath, “Fuck,” he whispered.

Will, who seemed frozen until this moment, “Yeah, fuck.”

“Percy was right. This is terrible,” Nico said.

The group of girls finally ran away, giggles echoing in the corridor. Nico lowered his head back down to look at Will who seemed exceptionally flustered.

Nico smirked, “Uh, Will?” he asked.

“Yeah?” Will responded, sounding very out of it,

“At some point, I’m gonna need you to stop pressing me against this tree so I can get down.”

Chapter Text

In sixth year, Will and Nico had decided to stop trying to make any attempt to hide their relationship. Of course, by that point, they had been caught in broom closets or empty classrooms so many times that essentially the entirety of Hogwarts knew they were together. When they started holding hands in the corridors constantly and would openly call each other pet names (although that was mostly Will) not a single student seemed phased in the slightest, so they both assumed that everybody knew. 

And yet, Paolo was looking at Will in a way that made Nico’s blood boil . He couldn’t even say exactly why it irked him so much, maybe it was the way Paolo was leaning forward as if he was hanging off every word Will uttered, maybe it was the way he was smirking, but it made Nico flush with anger. He clutched the books he had gotten up to find to his chest and narrowed his eyes at the pair. He sucked in a breath and tried to calm down. Don’t be the possessive boyfriend , he told himself as he turned his attention back to his task. He had been looking for some books on advanced transfiguration for he and Will to study for the upcoming test. He was walking slowly between the aisles of books, not really looking at the titles of the books but instead peeking through the shelves to catch glimpses of Paolo and Will. Will was chatting and smiling, nothing sinister or even close to inappropriate but Nico couldn’t shake the frustration building up. Logically, Nico knew he had nothing to worry about. Will would never do anything (he would never even think about it) but the insecurity Nico felt was hard to ignore. When Nico saw Will throw his head back in laughter at something Paolo, he abandoned his search and started marching towards the table they were sitting at. 

He skidded to a stop in front of them and dropped the books down onto the tabletop with a huff. The sound of them slamming against the table echoed throughout the library and he heard the librarian shush them but Nico couldn’t find it in himself to care. Will looked up at him in shock, his eyes wide and lips parted in surprise. Nico stayed standing although slightly hunched as he set his palms flat against the table and narrowed his eyes. He knew he looked intimidating, it was his goal, but Paolo just glanced at him lazily, as if Nico was just a nuisance or slight distraction, like a fly buzzing. It made Nico want to scream but instead he turned his attention back to Will who still seemed a little shaken and started smiling widely, his eyes softening as he looked at his boyfriend. 

“I couldn’t find all of them,” Nico said.

Will shook his head almost imperceptibly and sat up straighter, “That’s okay,” he said, “We can check again later if we have to.” 

“Anyway, Will, as I wa-“ Paolo started. 

Nico cut him off immediately, “Sunshine, do you want to go and get dinner soon?” he asked, pulling out a chair next to Will and sliding it closer to him as he sat down. 

Then Nico paused and looked back at Paolo, raising an eyebrow, “Oh, I’m sorry, I interrupted you. Please,” Nico said, leaning slightly against Will and smiling, “Continue. What were you saying?”

Paolo cleared his throat and eyed Nico cautiously, “I was just telling Will about Quidditch practice yesterday.” 

Paolo was on the Gryffindor quidditch team, he was a beater. Will had joined the Slytherin team that year, telling Nico about how he wanted some competition.

“Revealing team secrets to the enemy?” Nico asked, “How would your captain feel about that?” 

Will shoved Nico’s shoulder slightly and shot him a questioning look as Paolo flushed slightly.

“N-no,” Paolo stuttered, “I just- well we both play,” he took a breath and regained his composure, staring directly at Nico, “We have that in common, I figured Will would appreciate talking to someone about Quidditch who actually plays .” 

Nico’s chest was burning with rage and he had to bite his cheek to keep from lashing out. “How kind of you,” Nico seethed.

“Yeah, I mean, I’m sure it must be frustrating for Will to only ever talk to people who don’t really understand his interests,” Paolo said, keeping his gaze locked on Nico. 

Will frowned at Paolo and was about to speak before Nico spoke harshly, “Well, Will has plenty of other friends who play, he doesn’t really need another.” 

Paolo sneered at him, “Maybe it’s not just a friend that can understand him that he needs. Maybe he needs to upgrade a little in other areas.”

Nico lurched forward, a hand slamming down on the table, “I wouldn’t exactly call you an upgrade . And like I said, Will has plenty of friends, friends that aren’t trying to get into his pants because I assure you, I’m handling that just fine,” Nico shouted, laughing dryly, “So I really don’t understand why you feel the need to butt in where you are not only unnecessary but unwanted. ”

They were all silent for a moment before Will stood up abruptly and pulled Nico up too, tugging him away from the table. Nico was still glaring daggers at Paolo who didn’t seem embarrassed in the slightest. “Okay, Nico, lets go get food,” Will exclaimed, trying to tear the two apart. 

Nico let himself be pulled away and eventually turned away from Paolo, although he was still seething with fury. As soon as Will got them out of the library, his hands full with both of their bags and while dragging Nico along, he pulled them toward an empty classroom. At the nearest surface, he dropped all their stuff and whirled around to face the shorter boy. Nico looked up at his boyfriend and felt his anger die a little when he caught the look in Will’s eye. He couldn’t recognize it, it wasn’t quite anger or disappointment and it definitely wasn’t the soft adoration that Will normally looked at him with. Nico’s stomach started to twist in knots as Will just stared at him, I went too far, Nico thought, I went too far and he’s going to yell at me. 

Before Will could speak, Nico rushed out an “I’m sorry.”

Will tilted his head at Nico and suddenly Nico was letting out a flood of words, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I really am. I shouldn’t have done that,” Nico spilled, his hands twitching at his side as he started to shift uncomfortably on his feet, “You’re allowed to have friends, obviously , and I got in the way and I made the situation bad when it didn’t need to be. It wasn’t my place to interfere and I did. I was rude and possessive and I’m so sorry Will,” he heaved.

Nico’s voice was suddenly very small, “Please don’t yell at me.”

“What? Yell at you? Nico-“ Will huffed, “Nico I’m not going to yell at you.”

Nico looked down at his feet and stepped away from Will slightly, “But you want to.”

“No, I don’t,” Will said, his voice suddenly cold, “And I don’t like that you don’t believe me.” 

Nico could feel his eyes start to burn with tears as he kept his gaze fixed on the floor. He was trying to take deep breaths and keep his hands still, desperately hoping to not freak out in front of Will. But even with his best attempts, his breathing was becoming shallower and he just wanted to run.

“Nico,” Will called out softly, reaching a hand towards him. 

Nico finally glanced up to look at Will just as tears started rolling down his cheeks. Will grabbed Nico’s hands and pulled him forward and wrapped his arms around him. “Nico, I’m not angry with you and I am not going to yell at you,” Will muttered against Nico’s hair, “I’m just,” he paused, “Confused.”

Nico didn’t say anything and stayed somewhat stiff in Will’s arms as panic still rushed through him. Will pressed a kiss to the top of Nico’s head and started talking again, “I shouldn’t have let Paolo say that to you, I should have realized what was happening sooner. And you didn’t really do anything wrong. I mean, it was a little bit harsh but I feel like the circumstances called for it.” 

Nico relaxed slightly and wrapped his arms around Will as well, burying his face in Will’s chest. 

“Can you look at me?” Will asked quietly. 

Nico looked up at him, his eyes bloodshot and his face stained with tears. Will cooed softly and brought a hand up to cup Nico’s cheek, leaning down to rest their foreheads together. “I didn’t mean to make you think that I was upset with you because I promise that I wasn’t,” Will whispered, “I just didn’t know what to do. I’ve never seen you jealous before, it was always me. And I was angry at Paolo for saying all of that and for talking to you like you’re not the most important thing to me. I’m sorry that I let it go that far.”

Nico peered up after his boyfriend, no longer crying but his eyes still shining with tears, “You don’t have to be sorry. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Maybe not but I should have been more perceptive. It just never occurred to me that Paolo was flirting because I’ve only ever liked you ,” Will huffed, “I also didn’t really care how anybody but you looked at me or talked to me so I didn’t pay attention to anyone else.”

Nico let out a breathy laugh, “You’re a dork.”

Will cracked a smile, “Maybe, but only for you.”

Will leaned down even further to close the distance between them, kissing Nico soundly. Nico sighed and moved his hands to tangle his fingers in Will’s hair. His heart was pounding in his chest as they kissed. Will’s lips tasted vaguely like citrus and distantly Nico wondered how it’s possible for him to always taste so good. He gently but his boyfriend’s bottom lip, trying to coax his mouth open. Will complied immediately and let out a breathy sight that made Nico’s head spin. Closer , he thought, I want him closer.  He started pushing the taller boy backward until Will’s thighs hit the edge of the table. As Nico pulled Will down so he was perched on the edge, their books and bags went tumbling to the floor. Will pulled away slightly with a gasp to look at their fallen belongings and Nico whined in annoyance but moved anyway to stand between Will’s legs. He grabbed the blond’s chin and forced him to look back at him before kissing him again. Will gripped his waist tightly, pulling forward more. He had memorized the feeling of Will’s lips on his and all the little sounds he made, soft gasps and breathy moans that Nico could draw out when he tugged the golden curls at the base of his boyfriend’s head or when he grazed his teeth along Will’s lips. Nico moved his mouth away from Will’s to trail kisses along his jaw and down his throat before moving back to press their lips together again. As the blond’s hands wandered up his chest and down to grip the back of his thighs, Nico fumbled slightly with Will’s tie. As soon as he had it undone, he tugged it off and began to undo the top buttons of his shirt. He didn’t unbutton it all the way, just enough for him to shove it slightly off of his boyfriend’s shoulders and nip at his collar bones. Nico left open mouthed kisses along the skin of Will’s neck before he bit down at the crook, sucking a dark mark into his freckled skin. 

“ Nico, ” Will gasped and Nico couldn’t tell if it was praise or complaint. 

He continued to mouth along his neck as Will untucked Nico’s shirt from his slacks and ran his hands along the bare skin of the smaller boy’s hips and stomach, his nails scratching gently. It made Nico shiver and his knees wobble and suddenly he was clutching Will’s shoulders for stability. The blond immediately took the opportunity to start his own assault along Nico’s neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses as he worked his way down his throat. Nico let out a moan that should have been embarrassing but it just made Will grin against his skin. Nico’s eyes slipped shut and he tipped his head back slightly, one hand still desperately holding onto Will’s shoulder and the other tangled in his hair.

“We really should go to dinner,” Will muttered against his skin, each word punctuated with a kiss.

“Uh huh,” Nico moaned breathily.

“Or maybe,” Will ran his tongue along the juncture of Nico’s throat, “We could skip it tonight.”

“Yes,” Nico sighed, his eyes squeezed shut, “Skip it.”

Will pulled away suddenly and moved his hands off of Nico, “No, dinner is important. You need to eat more. If we go now, we can probably still make it.”

Nico looked at Will, his eyes wide and his cheeks flushed. He was still panting and Will just smiled at him widely, a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

“What?” Nico asked dumbly.

“Dinner,” Will said, pushing Nico back slightly so he could stand up and began to rebutton his shirt, “Let’s go.”

Nico blinked and stepped backwards, watching Will attempt to make himself look less disheveled. He huffed, pouting, “You’re mean.” 

Will laughed, “For making sure you get proper nutrition?” 

Nico licked his still swollen lips and ran a hand through his hair, “No, for teasing me.”

“That’s kind of my job, pretty boy,” Will joked, reaching down to grab his tie from the floor.

Nico finally began to tuck his shirt back in as he glared at Will, still pouting. 

“You’re cute when you’re annoyed,” Will told him.

Nico cocked his head, “You say that now but just wait.” 

“For what? More pouting? It just gets increasingly adorable,” Will said. 

Nico sighed, having fixed his shirt and licked up his own bag from the floor, “No, William ,” he said, his eyes sparkling, “You’re not the only one who can tease you know.” 

Nico didn’t pause to see Will’s face and instead turned on his heel and walked out of the classroom. As he made his way to the dining hall he could hear Will’s hurried steps echo behind him.

“Wait! Neeks, hold on! I’m sorry, I promise I won’t do it again,” he called out. 

Nico smirked and refused to look at his boyfriend when he caught up to him. He crossed his arms and bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from speaking. Will was babbling next to him, trying to get Nico to pay attention to him but as soon as they reached the doors of the dining hall, Nico walked away from him and to his table. He threw one look over his shoulder and winked at his boyfriend who was standing in the archway and staring at him. He sat down at the Hufflepuff table next to Hazel and across from Frank.

“Where were you?” Hazel asked, smirking at him.

“Don’t worry about it,” Nico told her with a smile. 

“Kinda hard not to with that hickey you’ve got on your neck,” she said bluntly. 

Nico blushed and brought his hand up his neck, his finger tracing over the sensitive skin. Even still, he smiled widely and shrugged before letting his eyes flicker over to the Slytherin table where Will was sitting and still staring at him. 

“Like I said, don’t worry,” he reassured her. 

—

After Will’s sting, Nico didn’t kiss him properly for one week. There were plenty of times where Nico would pull Will down by his tie and brush his lips barely across Will’s, just enough to make his skin burn and so he could feel the ghost of Nico’s breath against his cheeks, but it always ended with Nico releasing him and sauntering away. It came to a point where Will was following Nico around like a lost puppy, constantly reaching out for his boyfriend to try and gain any affection that he could. Nico chuckled at him and would grab his hand or brush his fingers along Will’s cheek gently, lingering just long enough for Will to sigh and lean into the touch. 

As the pair was leaving Defense Against the Dark Arts, Will was trailing behind him and stumbling over his own feet while Nico walked ahead of him confidently, clutching books to his chest, a permanent smirk etched onto his face. 

Nico led them to the courtyard, the same spot that their friends have been using for years. He sat down gracefully while Will followed him in a heap, his robes billowing upwards. Nico sat with his back against the tree trunk and legs stretched out in front of him as he pulled out a sheet of parchment he had tucked in between the cover of his book. He could feel Will’s eyes burning into him so he glanced upward and smiled at his boyfriend. Will pouted slightly and crossed his legs, leaning forward, “Are you ever going to kiss me again?” he sighed.

Nico laughed, “Maybe.”

Will sighed dramatically before flopping backwards and throwing a hand against his forehead, “Woe is me, never again will I feel the lips of my love against my own. ‘Tis a tragedy, one even muggles will hear tales of.”

The brunette rolled his eyes as he dug in his bag for a quill and ink, “Awfully dramatic for someone who brought this upon themselves.”

Will rolled to face him, “And I’m so very sorry. Really, I am,” he propped his head up against his elbow, “I will never tease you again. I swear it.”

Nico turned to face his boyfriend, an amused smile on his lips, “Really?”

“Yes!” Wil exclaimed, shooting up and crawling over to Nico, “Never again!”

Nico leaned toward his boyfriend, setting his book and parchment aside as he cupped Will’s cheek. He kissed Will softly but soundly and Will sighed instantly. Even though Nico had been the one to deny kisses for the past week, he couldn’t help but feel himself melt because of the missed affection. Will leaned in further and tried to scoot closer and kiss Nico deeper. 

“ Fucking flamers ,” a voice uttered. 

Nico tore away from Will like he’d been hit, immediately searching for the person who spoke. He spotted the boy immediately. It was a fifth year, surrounded by his friends who were all looking at Nico and Will like they were contagious. Nico did feel ill, his stomach was lurching and his face burning. He wanted to run away but suddenly Will was on his feet and storming towards the group of boys. Nico could practically see the anger radiating off of his boyfriend, his hands curled into fists at his sides. Nico scrambled to his feet as well, mostly so he could try and pull Will away from the younger students. Nico didn’t make it over there before Will was practically lifting the boy up by the collar of his shirt, “What the fuck did you just say?” he sneered. 

The boy was struggling to stand on his toes and not be held above the ground and his friends were scattering. Even still, the boy sneered right back at Will and said “Get your hands off of me you fucking homo.” 

Will laughed dryly and lifted the boy higher, “Are you gonna keep putting your foot in your mouth?”

Nico grabbed Will’s other arm and tugged, “Will, please, let's just go.” 

Will’s eyes flickered toward Nico and some of the tension released from his shoulders but it all rushed back in an instant as the boy spoke again, “Yeah, listen to your twink of a boyfriend.” 

Will’s wand was out of his pocket and against the boy’s temple in an instant, “Say it again! I fucking dare you to speak to him like that again!” 

“What? Upset that somebody is finally pointing out to your little boy toy of yours how bent he is?” the kid stuttered out and looked over Will’s shoulder at Nico, “Too bad it was your sister that died and not you.” 

Nico was going to throw up. He was certain of it. Tears were burning in his eyes and panic was seizing him. The kid was suddenly saying everything that Nico had been thinking subconsciously for years and it was like a weight was dropped in his chest. He wanted to disappear but he pushed it aside, just for now, as he refocused on Will. He needed to get Will to let the kid go and he knew that in really any other circumstances, Will would never hurt anybody but this was different. He knew how protective Will was of him and he knew that the boy wasn’t going to back down. “ Will ,” he pleaded, “Let him go!” 

The younger student’s face was turning red and Nico could see a crowd forming around them slightly. Fuck , he thought, This is bad . Will didn’t drop him and held his wand steady. Nico couldn’t see his face but he knew the coldness that would be in his boyfriend’s eyes and he knew the way his lips would be curled in a sneer. 

“Put me down!” The boy kicked, his face still twisted cruelly, “You’ll fucking regret this!”

“I really don’t think I will,” the blond seethed, readjusting his grip on his wand.

Nico could feel tears roll down his cheeks as he pulled desperately on the back of Will’s robes and reached to try and grab his hands away but Will just stayed frozen.

“ Please, ” Nico’s voice cracked, “Will, please . Just let him go and we can walk away!” 

“Mr. Solace, I would listen to Mr. di Angelo if I were you.”

Nico looked over his shoulder to see Headmaster Chiron walking towards them, his face set in stone. Will still didn’t budge, not until Chiron placed a hand on his shoulder. After a moment, he reluctantly pulled his wand away and dropped the boy in a heap on the ground. The boy was gasping for air and still glaring. 

“Mr. Solace and Mr. di Angelo, please come with me to my office,” he said calmly before search for a face in the crowd, “And Mr. Zhang, would you escort Mr. Varus,” he gestured to the boy on the ground, “To the infirmary?”

Nico watched Frank step out of the crowd and toward the kid. Hazel had been standing behind and she caught Nico’s gaze, her eyes wide with panic. Nico just looked at the ground before turning to follow Will and Chiron up to the headmaster’s office. His heart was beating uncontrollably and he almost felt like he was dying. Last time he had been in Chiron’s office, he found out his sister was dead. This time, he was certain that him and Will were going to be expelled. Will was still seething next to him, his brows furrowed and his mouth set in a hard line. Nico watched him silently before looking forward again. He reached his hand outward slightly, trying to find Will’s. He found it still curled in a fist tightly but grabbed it anyway, running his thumb along the back of his hand to try and coax it open so he could intertwine their fingers. He wasn’t sure if it was to soothe him or Will. Their footsteps echoed loudly through the otherwise silent corridors. It was so quiet that Nico could still hear how erratic his boyfriend’s breathing was, so he tried harder to get Will to uncurl his hand. He started tracing Will’s knuckles with the tips of fingers and eventually the blond relented and let Nico interlock their fingers. Nico nearly let out a sigh of relief and had to stop himself from leaning against his boyfriend. 

As they made it into Chiron’s office, Nico had to let go of Will as they sat in the chairs in front of the desk in the center of the room. Chiron sat calmly across from them and just watched them for a moment. Nico could feel himself fidgeting anxiously, his foot was tapping against the floor, his fingers twitch against the arm of the chair, and his eyes flickering across the room. Next to him, Will was still and silent, his face fixed in a frown and staring at Chiron.

“So,” Chiron started, leaning back slightly, “What happened?”

Nico looked over at Will who had cocked his head as he spoke boredly, “Does it matter?”

Nico was unsure how to react. This was a Will he had never really dealt with before, flippant and angry and arrogant and almost cruel . It screamed Slytherin in a way that made Nico’s skin crawl because it was the very worst of what the house could be. It was what he saw in his father when his mother had first died and he lashed out at anybody who reminded him of the love he had lost. He desperately wanted to reach out and soothe Will, calm him down and make him into the Will that knew well. The one who was funny and smart and ambitious and kind. Although, distantly Nico thought about how this was Will too. But then Will glanced at him and his eyes were soft and warm as they met Nico’s and he wanted to kiss him. 

“Of course it does. I don’t imagine that one of the top students at Hogwarts would threaten someone like that without a very good reason” Chiron stated.

“Maybe I just snapped. I am a Slytherin after all, isn’t cruelty our game?” Will sneered.

Nico didn’t understand why Will was doing this, why he seemed so intent on making this worse. He stared at the side of his face, hoping that the weight of his gaze would make his boyfriend look at him again but Will just tightened his jaw and kept staring at Chiron.

“Really?” The headmaster asked, incredulous.

Will looked back at Chiron and narrowed his eyes. Before the blond could say anything else, Nico jumped in, “He called us, um,” he paused as a bitter taste filled his mouth, “ names . And he wouldn’t stop.”

Chiron sat back in his chair and stared at the couple, silent for a moment. “Names? A younger boy calling you names warranted that? Surely they must have been particularly cutting,” Chiron’s voice lilted at the end, making it sound like it was a joke. 

Nico started at their headmaster, disbelieving. Is he actually joking right now? he thought, his jaw clenching. 

“‘ Fucking flamers’ and ‘ twink ’ were his words of choice, I believe,” Will said bitterly. 

Chiron nodded, “Ah, finally, some honesty.”

Nico started at the ground and he heard blood rushing in his ears. 

“Mr. di Angelo, you’re free to go. I don’t see any reason why you should receive punishment and I would like a word with Mr. Solace in private,” Chiron said, keeping his gaze fixed on Will.

Nico looked between Will and Chiron, waiting for either of them to acknowledge him. Neither did. He stood up abruptly and left the office, storming away. Outside the entrance, he paced impatiently as he waited for Will to come out. He heard his name called out and he looked up to see Hazel rushing toward him.

He let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding as he hugged her tightly. It only lasted for a moment though, before she pulled away and looked him in the eye sternly, “Nico, what happened?” 

He let out a huff, “I don’t even know. A lot. That kid said something and suddenly Will was just on him. I’ve never seen him that angry before. I didn’t know what to do.”

Hazel furrowed her eyebrows and peered at him questioningly, “What did he say to Will?” 

Nico looked at the ground, “Just some bullshit.”

“Nico,” Hazel said calmly as her grip tightened on his arms, “ What did he say to Will ? ”

He looked up from the ground and into his sister’s eyes, “Hazel, what do you think he said?” he whispered softly. 

Hazel stared at him for a moment before nodding stiffly, “I’ll kill him.” 

“No! God, Hazel, that’s what got us in this mess in the first place,” Nico said.

“No, Nico. That kid spitting homophobic garbage is what got us here. And if Chiron thinks he can punish Will for defending himself then he has another thing coming,” Hazel yelled.

“He wasn’t really defending himself, Hazel,” Nico muttered. 

“Oh absolutely fucking not ,” Hazel shouted, “I will hex Michael Varus so badly he will wish that Chiron had let Will do it instead.” 

“Hazel! Stop, please!” Nico pleaded, his voice cracking as he felt tears well up again. 

She stopped moving and stared at him, caught off guard by the sudden wave of emotion. She hugged him again and he buried his face in her shoulder as he felt himself start to sob. The adrenaline was wearing off and all he was left with was fear and panic and hatred . He hated himself right now, more than he had in a long time. It was like everything he had been trying so hard to move in from just rushed back all at once. He felt guilty, for not sticking up for himself, for not trying harder to get Will away from that kid, for Bianca . Why can’t you just get your shit together for once, he said to himself, Why do you always have to make other people fight your battles for you? You’re such a fucking burden. Hazel rubbed his back soothingly and tried to whisper reassurances but it just made him cry harder. 

“Nico,” a voice called out. 

 He looked up to see Will standing in front of him. Hazel pulled away but touched his shoulder gently, looking at him quizzically. He nodded at her, letting her know it was okay to walk away. Just before she let him go fully she said, “We can talk more later.” 

He watched her leave around the corner before he looked back at Will who was shifting on his feet awkwardly. Nico was still heaving with sobs and shaking slightly. Will reached out for him but Nico flinched backward. Hurt flashed across Will’s face and it just made Nico feel guiltier.

“Nico,” Will said again, softer this time.

“Wh-Why did you do that?” Nico heaved.

“Do what? Defend you?” Will asked.

Nico shook his head, “No, I mean- yes , but why wouldn’t you just let us walk away? And why wouldn’t you just tell Chiron what happened? Were you trying to make it worse for you?”

Will furrowed his eyebrows, “I was trying to protect you,” he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

Anger very suddenly flashed through Nico, drowning everything else for just long enough for him to lash out, “Protect me? By trying to get yourself expelled? And I don’t need you to protect me, Will, I can protect myself!” 

Will stared at him, dumbstruck but Nico just continued, “I mean, what was that in Chiron’s office? It’s like you wanted to get kicked out! Are you just a fucking masochist or something or was it some ego boost for you? Or maybe you just wanted to get away from me and you finally saw your chance, even if it meant leaving Hogwarts. It’s okay, I get it, I’d want to leave me too.” 

“Nico,” Will said loudly as he stepped forward quickly, grabbing his boyfriend’s face and forcing Nico to look at him, “ Stop . I don’t want to leave you. God, that is the farthest thing from what I want to do. I’d stay with you forever if you let me. And I know you can protect yourself, believe me I do. But you won’t and that’s why I-“ he sucked in a breath “Why I did that. Why I acted like that. I’m sorry, I went too far but I knew you wouldn’t do anything. You would just stand there and take it because you’ve convinced yourself that you deserve it. After almost three years I don’t know how to convince you that you don’t deserve it besides fighting for you. And in Chiron’s office, I just- I just didn’t want you to get in trouble for something I did.. You didn’t do anything and I thought that if I could just take the blame, all of it, that you would be left alone.” 

“You were just going to let yourself get expelled?” 

“No,” Will huffed, “But I wasn’t going to let you try and feel guilty about any of it. Although by the look on your face earlier, I’m guessing you already do feel guilty.”

Nico scoffed, “It's not your responsibility to control my feelings, Will. And I still don’t understand why you were so fucking dismissive in there, like everything was just a nuisance. Watching you- watching you act like that was awful, Will. It was like nothing I said or did mattered to you,” he looked away from Will even though the blond was still cupping his face.

Will whimpered quietly, “Nico,” he pleaded, “Nico, baby, please. I’m sorry, I am so, so sorry. I didn’t- I didn’t even think about that and I hurt you. I’m sorry,” he rested his forehead against Nico’s, “I was just, I was so angry at that asshole and it was like I couldn’t even think beyond,” he gulped, “trying to like, I don’t even know, protect you,” Will huffed, brushing his thumb against Nico’s cheek, “or defend you because why would that kid ever think he could speak to you like that? I just- I’m sorry.”

Nico was silent for a moment, processing Will’s words. He looked back at his boyfriend, his face softening at the distress on Will’s face. He leaned into Will’s touch and closed his eyes, “Just,” he sighed quietly, “Just don’t do that again. Please,” he whispered.

“Never,” Will swore, “I am so sorry.”

Nico opened his eyes and met Will’s gaze. His boyfriend’s eyes were the shocking blue that Nico had always remembered but the remorse that filled them was something new. His eyes looked sorrowful and the brunette was struck with the overwhelming desire to chase the pain and regret in his eyes away and never let it return. He didn’t want Will to feel this way, he never wanted Will to feel anything other than joy and love and peace so he kissed him. Nico kissed Will desperately and tangled his fingers in his hair to pull him down. Will leaned into it immediately, his hands moving to clutch Nico’s waist and pull him closer. At some point, one of them had started crying and Nico wasn’t sure who but he tasted the tears and murmured soothingly, pulling away just slightly. Will chased after him, not ever letting their mouths truly part. Nico pulled at his boyfriend’s hair gently as the kiss became more frantic. It was no longer reconciliation or reassurance but a way to keep the other close, to never let them part again. As Will moaned quietly, Nico pulled away again, panting. The blond tried to kiss him again but Nico turned his face so Will just planted a very sloppy kiss to his cheek. The smaller boy laughed quietly when he turned back and saw his boyfriend pouting, “We should probably go somewhere that isn’t the middle of the corridor.”

Will nodded furiously, “Yes! Yeah, okay! I bet the library is still open or we could try and find the Room of Requirement or I could even sneak you into my dorm!”he exclaimed. 

Nico sighed and looked at Will, studying his face as if he hadn't already memorized every freckle and the exact slope of his nose. He brought one hand up and ran his thumb across Will’s bottom lip which was slightly swollen and red. He would love to be snuck into Will’s dorm, he honestly couldn’t think of anything that he wanted to do more, but he also knew he had to talk to Hazel again and knowing her, she’s probably already sent letters to Jason and Reyna as well. 

“You're making the face you always do when you’re about to tell me no,” Will whispered.

Nico glanced up to meet Will’s eyes, “What?” he asked, dumbfounded.

“Your eyes crinkle and your forehead creases right here,” Will tapped the spot just above his eyebrows, “And you start to pout. It always means you’re going to say no, but you really shouldn’t this time.”

Nico just stared at Will, unsure of how to respond. Nico knew that Will loved him and that he knew a lot about him, but it never occurred to him that his boyfriend studied him in the same way that Nico studied Will. Eventually, after an embarrassing moment of gaping, Nico just muttered, “Oh.”

Will grinned but it seemed pained, “Yeah. So were you gonna say no?”

“I mean, yeah,” Nico said.

Will frowned, “See? But you really shouldn’t. Just let me whisk you away, please.”

“I need to talk to Hazel-“ Nico started.

“You already did, I just saw her,” the blond interrupted. 

“You know Hazel, a two minute conversation is not enough to satisfy her. Plus, I guarantee the minute she turned the corner she ran to send letters to Jason and Reyna,” Nico reasoned.

Will’s frown deepened before he sighed, “You’re right.”

Nico smiled tensely, “I always am.”

“That’s an entirely different conversation, darling,” Will teased.

The smaller boy scoffed as he pulled away from Will and started to walk away to find Hazel. His steps echoed quietly as he started toward the Hufflepuff common room but he stopped when he didn't hear Will follow. Nico looked behind him at his boyfriend who was just standing and staring at him. “Are you coming with or not?” Nico called. 

Will stumbled forward and jogged to catch up, “Oh, yes!”

Nico chuckled and grabbed Will’s hand when he was close enough, pulling him forward. 

“We are going to your common room?” Will asked. 

“Yeah, that’s where Hazel probably is,” Nico said. 

“So you’re whisking me away?” Will teased. 

“You’re impossible,” Nico sighed, squeezing Will’s hand tighter.