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Chapter Text

Captain Will Solace

Will Solace wasn’t much for the sea, but he loved the sun.

He loved the way the sun beat down on his face, how it reflected on the waves, turning everything shiny and shimmering, like a mirrorball turning slowly above a room.

Not being one for the sea, though, it was unfitting how Will found himself the captain of the Argo II.

Named after the Argo from Greek tales, the Argo II was a ship built by a team of men that took years to construct. It was easily one of the most beautiful creations Will had ever seen, but he had passions that lay elsewhere.

“You are the only pirate captain I’ve seen that longs for the land as much as you do, William,” Austin came behind Will, patting him on the back. Will kept his eyes trained straight ahead, watching his tiny fishing village grow smaller and smaller as the Argo II sailed further into the ocean.

Will wasn’t really sure when he became the captain. He’d joined the crew when was fifteen to make a little money to help his struggling family, and the next thing he knew, the crew belonged to him. Being a pirate was dangerous. Captain by captain, they died off, until Will was the most experienced on board, and by consequence, the title was bequeathed to him.

“Yeah, well,” Will smiled, trying to remain light-hearted, but as he saw his town disappear completely, he couldn’t ignore the feeling of his heart dropping like an anchor. “There are a million other things I could be doing than being stuck on a boat with you lads.”

Playing music, what he actually wanted to do with his life.

Painting with his little sister, Kayla.

Caring for his family, who he wasn’t sure would be okay without them.

His heart hurt even more with that last thought.

Austin held his hand to his heart in mock offense. “You don’t want to spend time with us? Captain, oh captain, I am hurt.”

Will scoffed a laugh. It wasn’t that. Even if being captain of these men wasn’t his choice, he had grown to love them. But this was the longest expedition yet. They were to sail to a kingdom miles away, and when they got there… well, everyone knew what pirates did once they reached their desired location.

That was why he became one. Pirates looted. Looting meant that they made money. His parents needed money. His dad was a fisher that didn’t make much money and his mother had to stay home to care for Kayla, who was often sick. They needed Will’s help.

But how could Will help them if he was thousands of miles away?

Austin seemed to notice his hesitation. He laid a hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be okay, Will. You’ll be back soon. And with enough money to buy your folks a nice house, right on the beach!”

Will mustered a smile. “Thanks, Austin.”

Back with enough money.

Will knew stealing was wrong. He wouldn’t do it if he didn’t have to. He definitely didn’t take joy in it.

A pirate captain who didn’t like the sea or stealing. How contradictory was that?

***

The journey took days. Thankfully, the waves were calm at first.

At first.

Five days into the voyage, on the expected day of their arrival, a terrible storm swept the ocean, and Will was reminded of why he didn’t like the sea. The waves were relentless. They crashed against the boat, rocking it violently. Sea sprayed onto the deck, dousing the crew from head to toe. Soaked and vision impaired from salt in his eyes, Will stood in the center of it all, shouting orders to his men.

“Hoist the sail! No, Connor, the other sail! Yes, that one! Have you learned nothing?”

“Go easy on him, Solace,” Beckendorf chided from next to him. Charles Beckendorf was this big, muscular dude, and he’d been on the crew almost as long as Will had. Will didn’t know why he’d hadn’t been given the title of captain instead of himself.

“I’m trying, Beck, but we’re about to lose our ship,” Will said evenly.

With the same levity, Beckendorf replied with a raised eyebrow, “Would that really matter to you?”

Will felt as if a giant wave had crashed into him. His crew doubted him, doubted his loyalty to the ship. Will wouldn’t have been there if he hadn’t had to, but that didn’t mean since he was there he wouldn’t give his job as captain everything inside of him.

Will tore off his hat and pressed it to Beckendorf’s chest, who stumbled back in surprise. “I’m going to save us. Hold my hat.”

“Solace!” Beckendorf yelled after Will as he made a beeline for the mast. He could barely see with the rain in his eyes, and barely hear with the sound of the waves crashing against the hull, but he pressed on. “Solace, you’re gonna get yourself killed!”

So be it. He would do what he needed to prove his loyalty to these people, to the Argo II.

Dozens of his men tried to stop him as Will began climbing the shrouds to reach the mast, but he didn’t listen to a single one of them. His fingers dug into the rope of the shrouds, and the wind threatened to knock him off, but he held fast. He lost footing once, and he grunted as he hauled himself back up.

His hands cut and bloody, Will finally reached it to the top of the mast. He grabbed the rope of the topmast and pulled as hard as he could, attempting to steer the ship away from the storm.

His men were crowding the deck, staring up at him. Will wanted to yell down at them to get back to work, but he needed to stay focused. His voice wouldn’t have carried that far, anyway.

Will continued to yank at the topmast, but this was a job much more suited to Beckendorf, or someone else of that build. In the distance, Will noticed something. A castle. Land. It was the kingdom they’d been sailing towards. They were so close. But as he stared out at the castle, Will noticed something else. A wave greater than any one they’d faced before, barreling straight towards them.

Come on, come on.

With each second that passed, the wave grew closer. Will tug furiously, but the topmast seemed to be stuck on something. The wave was closer. Any second now, it would crash into their ship. Will pulled.

One.

Two.

With one final pull, the topmast sprung into action.

But it was too late.

Three.

Will jumped from the mast. Time seemed to slow around him as he fell. The ship was turning away from the wave. Austin and a dozen other men were running towards the steering wheel, working together to spin the ship as far away as possible from the storm as they could.

Will continued to fall, knowing that even if he died, his men would be safe. His last action was one that would’ve been done to protect the ship.

And he crashed into the waves.

Prince Nico

Many people didn’t believe him when he said it, but being a prince was actually a lot more boring than people realized.

Especially when your dad was as crazy as Nico’s.

He was the king of Asphodel, a kingdom on the coast of the Sea of Monsters, which both had unfortunate names. The kingdom was small enough to where it still warranted a monarch, but it wasn’t very important. Still, though, the title of King went right to his father’s head.

Nico’s father had the tendency to lock his son up, to never let him leave the castle he was born and raised in. The castle was beautiful, with gray stone and ivy growing up the walls, but being inside it 24/7 could get boring after a while.

Ever since Nico was little, he’d developed the tendency to stare out his bedroom window, which had a direct view of the beach and ocean which their kingdom bordered. He would stare, waiting for something, anything, to happen. But he never really expected it.

So one day, when a ship came into view, being attacked by a gruesome storm, Nico’s deep brown eyes were swimming with awe.

***

The storm was relentless. It had been pouring ever since Nico had woken that morning, slamming against the side of his window, making it almost impossible to see outside.

That was why Nico almost thought the was hallucinating when he saw the ship. He propped himself up on his knees, his shins digging into his mattress as he pressed himself against the window. He blinked his eyes a couple of times, squinting, and when the ship didn’t go away, he knew it was real.

Nico knew he should’ve done something to help. The ship was clearly struggling. The waves crashed into it, and it listed dangerously to one side. But Nico wasn’t sure what he could do. He also wasn’t sure what ship it was. Was it a friend? A foe?

Pirates?

Nico had always been warned about pirates. Living by the sea, they were a common threat, and part of the reason his father sheltered him so much.

The prince of a kingdom would make an excellent ransom demand.

Still, Nico watched, holding his breath as lightning struck the ocean not far from the ship. After a while, the ship randomly jerked in another direction. Then, from the top of the ship, something fell. Nico squinted his eyes as he watched it fall, and with a jolt to his system, he realized that something was a person, falling from the mast. The person hit the waves with what Nico could only envision as a sickening crash, and before he knew what he was doing, he was sprinting out of his bedroom.

He ran down the halls of the castle, his bare feet cold against the tile. He made a sharp turn, heading straight for the grand doors.

“Your highness,” The butler, Jules-Albert, attempted to stop Nico, moving to stand in front of him right before he reached the doors. “Where are you off to, in such a hurry?”

Nico didn’t have time for Jules-Albert or his annoyingly bushy mustache. “I need to go outside. There’s a ship in trouble, and someone fell overboard-“

“Ah, but have you discussed it with your father?” Jules-Albert asked, instead of stating the more obvious observation that it was pouring rain outside.

“No, and I’ll deal with that when I return,” Nico shoved Jules-Albert out of the way and stormed past him before he had to use the “I’m royalty and you’re not” card.

The rain hit Nico like a slap the second he stepped outside, but he pulled his cloak tighter around himself and continued the trek down to the shore.

The wind pushed him back, and he almost lost his footing a couple of times, but he dug his feet into the sand and continued walking. Simultaneously, the sand was flying around him, blowing into his eyes and nose and mouth.

When he finally made it to the water, he sunk his bare feet into it, his eyes scanning the horizon for a body. The ship was sailing away from the storm, but it remained close enough to the shore to where Nico could keep an eye on it. Right now, he was worried about the man overboard.

Nico couldn’t see anyone, so he waded deeper into the water. He thrust his hands into the water, searching desperately. He grabbed a chunk of seaweed and threw it further into the ocean in frustration.

He watched the seaweed as it landed with a small splash, next to something that looked like… an arm. Nico splashed through the water, lunging for the person lying face down in the water. He grabbed them by the waist, hoisting them up and hooking an arm under their armpit. They were unconscious, so it was incredibly difficult to drag them through the water, especially with the rain that was still pouring down on them and the waves that seemed to want to pull them under.

Nico managed to reach the shore, gently laying the person on the sand far enough away for the water so the tide wouldn’t reach them. Nico kneeled next to them and was able to get a better look at the person he’d just saved.

It was a boy, around Nico’s age. He had messy blonde hair and tan skin splashed with freckles. His clothes- a white tanktop and a brown leather vest that accented the slight muscles in his arms- were torn and dirty. His eyes were closed. He wasn’t breathing.

Panic steadily growing in Nico’s body, he pressed his hands to the boy’s chest and pushed. He did the heimlich just like Jules-Albert had taught him, but the boy remained unconscious.

“Come on, come on,” Nico muttered to himself as he continued to press on his chest. “Screw it.”

Nico reached out and opened the boy’s mouth. Nico’s thumb accidentally brushed his lips. They were soft. Nico began to lean forward, and the boy chose that moment to bolt upright, coughing and sputtering.

Nico fell back in surprise, watching as the boy spat out sand and salt. He coughed, then looked around wildly, his eyes locking on Nico. He scrambled back in shock, putting even more distance between him and Nico. He looked like a frightened animal. Like a deer in headlights.

“Hi,” Nico said dumbly.

“Who are you?” The boy began spouting questions in rapid fire. “Where am I? Is my crew okay? Where’s my men? My ship-“

“You’re okay,” Nico said, attempting to scoot closer to the boy. “It’s okay.”

“Where’s my ship?” The boy repeated, intensity burning behind his eyes. Nico could tell now that they were blue. A shocking shade of blue, like the sky, or… or the sea. If he was a pirate, he sure was a loyal one.

“Your ship’s okay,” Nico promised. He pointed out into the sea, where it was still floating away from the storm. “It’s there.”

The boy’s head whirled towards the ship, and he sighed in relief. He pushed himself off the ground, then began waving his hands and shouting, “Hey! Over here! Beckendorf! Austin!”

“Hey!” Nico said, moving to stand next to him. “You can’t bring them over here. We don’t know who they are.”

The boy cut a glance at him. Nico resisted the urge to back away. Those eyes, which were once a calm shade, were now as violent as the storm that raged around them. This boy held power, and he seemed to know it. “You’re just going to leave them out there? In a storm like this?”

“You could be pirates, for all I know!” Nico insisted, throwing his arms into the air exhaustedly.

Something like hurt flashed behind the boy’s eyes, but he regained his composure quickly. His eyes trained on the ground, he spoke: “I don’t care for pirates much.”

There was something in his voice that Nico couldn’t quite place, but he sounded earnest enough. He was bleeding, dirty, and no doubt exhausted. Sighing, Nico made a choice he knew his father would kill him for. “Fine. Bring them over.”

The boy’s head shot up, his eyes once again sparkling. Who knew eyes could portray so much emotion? He took off running into the ocean, the waves cutting into his calves. He shouted with a voice that told Nico he was used to shouting: “CREW! OVER HERE!”

The crew must’ve heard him. In a few seconds flat, the ship was turning around, sailing towards the shore. As it came closer, Nico could hear shouts and hollers from the deck. The ship moored itself on the shore, and before it was even completely anchored, a dark-skinned boy launched himself over the side. He landed in the waves with a splash, then ran towards the boy, attacking him in a hug.

“Will! You’re okay!”

Will. The boy’s name was Will.

Will patted the other boy on the back, grinning. “I’m okay, Austin.”

Austin pulled back, grinning wildly. “Dude, we thought you were a goner!” His eyes flicked over to Nico, as if he’d just noticed he was there. “Who’s that?”

“That’s…” Will’s voice trailed off. He looked at Nico, and something in his expression shifted. He smiled, and he had one of those smiles that quirked to one side. “I don’t know his name, actually. But he saved me, I think. Thank you.”

Nico nodded in recognition. “It’s Nico. Nico di Angelo. And it’s nothing.”

The rest of the crew began to file off, surrounding Will in a circle. A lot of them patted him on the back or hugged him, and Nico realized he was the captain of the ship. No one else could command so much respect from one group of people.

“What now, Solace?” One of the men asked.

“Well…” Will’s eyes flicked to Nico’s, just for a moment- but Nico saw it. “I think Nico here was about to show us a place to stay for the night?”

Nico blinked. “I was?”

“You were,” Will smirked, and it was simultaneously the most mischievous but also innocent expression Nico had ever seen. Will reached out and tugged on Nico’s necklace- a chain with a slab of obsidian hanging from it. “Because only royalty could afford a piece of jewelry like that. Am I right, Prince Nico?”

The crew began murmuring, and Nico felt his cheeks begin to burn. This boy was smart. He was the captain. He commanded respect. And he knew just how to use his words. “I- I suppose I could let you stay the night. But not in the castle. My father would have my head.”

A series of groans let up from the men, but Will silenced them with a single raise of his hands. “Don’t fret, men. I’m sure Nico has somewhere just as nice for us. Don’t you, your highness?”

Nico thought for a moment, then remembered a house further along the shore that he and his mother would go when they needed a break from the stress of ruling.

Back when she was still alive.

That last thought hurt more than he wanted to admit, but he shrugged it off. He had more important things to worry about for now. “Follow me.”

Chapter Text

Captain Will

Nico took them to a house on the beach that was probably considered small by royal standards, but was big enough to house all Will’s men, including himself.

Nico stood in front of the door as he watched Will’s men look around and get settled in. A lot of their materials had been lost to the waves during the storm, so they didn’t have a whole lot to set up, but most of the men were enamored by the sheer impressiveness of the building. There were paintings on the walls that probably costed millions, and seashells across the shelves that glittered with the lights of a thousand diamonds. Will had done a sure job of making it clear to his crew that the boy with them was royalty, so he hoped it went through their considerably thick skulls not to steal anything in front of him.

Nico seemed to be watching them, too. He had already voiced his suspicions of Will and his men being pirates, but Will hoped he did a good job of deflecting that. Nico had allowed them to stay the night in his kingdom, after all.

But the more time he spent around Nico, Will began to wonder if Nico wasn’t watching the crew so much as he was watching Will. He constantly felt the prince’s eyes on him, like he was seeing through him, searching him, tearing him apart and dissecting him from the inside. Will swallowed and tried very hard not to think about being a pirate, as if Nico could read his mind. He might as well have had a name tag that read, Hi! I am: A Thief!

Will managed to organize everyone into a few of the rooms that the house had. Some of the men had to sleep on the floor, but they were fine with that. They were glad just to have shelter from the storm.

Once everyone was situated, Will walked back into the living the room and collapsed into one of the couches. It was impossibly soft, and he seemed to sink into it. Is this how rich people live?

Someone came behind Will and draped a towel around his shoulders. He looked behind him to see Nico. Will managed a smile. “Thank you.”

Nico hummed in acknowledgement. He came around the couch to sit next to Nico. They sat in silence for a moment, while Will dried off his hair with the towel, before Nico spoke. “Wanna tell me who you are?”

“I’m Will. Will Solace.”

“No. Who you really are. What you were doing out there, on a ship, in a storm like that.”

Will shifted on the couch. He had to come up with a lie. That was okay. He could do that. He had a way with words. He was a musician, a lyricist. “Well,” He began. “It wasn’t always storming. Me and my men, we’re, uh, we’re… mailmen. Yes, we were delivering packages. But, um, we lost them all in the storm.”

Will felt Nico’s eyes on him again. His eyes were this dark brown color that were always narrowed in a way that made him seem like he was scrutinizing everything he looked at. Will was worried that Nico would call his bluff, but after a while, he said, “Okay.”

Will exhaled.

“I should get back to the castle,” Nico said, like that was a perfectly normal thing to say. “Before my dad notices.”

“Yeah,” Will said. “Do you want us out of here by any certain time?”

Nico stood, his eyes lingering on Will as he responded. “I’ll come back in the morning. Then we’ll see.”

Once Nico left, Will exhaled once more. Something about the prince made him exhilarating to be around. Maybe it was the lie Will was keeping up. Maybe it was those eyes.

Who could say?

Will stretched out on the couch. It had been about an hour since the height of the storm, and it was beginning to slow down. The downpour had been reduced to a light patter that feel against the roof of the cabin, slow and rhythmic. Will would’ve fallen asleep if he hadn’t been so restless.

He slipped off the couch and began wandering the halls of the house. He found a pouch of coins in a drawer in the kitchen, and he emptied the coins into his palm and counted them. Eighteen. It was an odd number of coins to be kept together, but it was money nonetheless. Will poured the coins back into the pouch and slipped it into his bag, which had been salvaged from the ship by one of the crew members.

After an hour or so of looking around the house and smuggling other expensive-looking items, Will returned to the couch where he slept for the night. It was one of the best sleeps of his life, but it was cut short when his crewmates began rising at the break of dawn, as they often did. Connor and Travis began raiding the kitchen, and Malcom took the liberty of stealing a few books for himself from the place’s library. Yes, it had it’s own library. And this wasn’t even the castle!

He felt guilty about it, but Will began to wonder, if this was just a house owned by the royal family, what was the actual castle like? What expensive items and jewels were ready to be pillaged there? A plan began to formulate in Will’s brain. Get closer to Nico. Get invited into the castle. And then…

Austin’s words rang in his ears. And with enough money to buy your folks a nice house, right on the beach!

Will felt bad stealing, especially with how nice Nico had been to them. But he needed the money more than the royal family did.

As if Nico had been summoned by Will’s thoughts, there was a knock on the door, and then it opened. Nico pushed it open and walked inside. The first thing Will noticed were his clothes- they were black and elegant, the way a true prince’s should be. Not like how he was dressed last night, with a cloak and no shoes.

The second thing Will noticed was the cut on his face, right under his eye. It was small, but it was deep. Dried blood was crusted around it.

Will rushed toward him. He reached forward to touch Nico’s face, then realized what he was doing and retracted his hand. “What happened?”

Nico grimaced. “My dad found out I left the castle without his permission.”

Will’s eyes widened. “He cut you?”

“He didn’t mean to!” Nico said quickly. Will wondered why he was defending the person who had hurt him. “His nails are just long!”

“He hit you?”

“I-“

“Yo, Nico!” Travis called from the kitchen, a mouthful of grits in his mouth. “This place is sick! Thanks for lending it!”

“You’re welcome?” Nico responded curiously, craning his head to look at the chaotic brothers raiding his house.

Will was taller than Nico, so he was able to step into his field of vision to block the scene. “Are you okay, Nico?”

“I’m fine.”

“Your father hurt you.”

“It’s fine.”

Well, that was all he was going to get out of him. So much for befriending him.

Quiet, Will, A voice somewhere in the back of his mind chided. Friendship takes time.

Time. Will needed more time. So he needed to find a way to convince Nico to let them stay longer.

He crossed his arms, looking down at Nico with a grin. “How about a walk on the beach?”

Prince Nico

Taking a walk on the beach while the sun rose with someone who was practically a stranger wasn’t something Nico envisioned himself doing, but it was a welcomed distraction.

Will had seemed genuinely confused and distressed about Nico’s father hitting him. In a way, that confused Nico. Was it not normal for a parent to hit their child in order to discipline them? That was all Nico knew. All his father did.

Nico knew he had disobeyed his father’s will, but it was for a good cause. Though no matter how much Nico tried to explain that, his father couldn’t seem to grasp it.

“Father, he could have died!”

“Do you think I care about some commoner’s life?” His father yelled. “You directly broke my only rule!”

“Father, please, I needed to save him-”

Nico’s father raised his hand. Nico shut his eyes and braced for impact.

Nico shook his head, as if that would shake the memory away. Will glanced at him. “You okay?”

“Fine,” Nico lied. At least, he thought it was a lie. He wasn’t sure how he felt. “Don’t you need to get back to delivering your packages?”

He didn’t mean to sound rude. But the longer he stayed out here with Will, the longer he was away from the castle. The more of a change his father noticed he was gone. And disobeying his fathers rules twice in twenty four hours, especially when his father had warned him what would happen if he did, was practically a death sentence.

”Do it a second time, and you won’t like what happens.”

Well, not specifically. But open threats were the worst kind of threats.

“Yeah, well, we lost all our packages, remember?” Will had taken off his shoes at the house, and we was walking barefoot in the water, his pants rolled up to his knees. His legs were cut and bruised but built with muscle. He had a brown leather knapsack hanging from his back that matched the vest he was wearing. “Tell me more about yourself, Nico.”

Nico blinked, surprised by this. No one had ever asked Nico about himself before. He hadn’t met anyone to ask him about himself. Was it possible that Will wanted to be friends?

That Will would be his first real friend?

“Well, I’m the prince of Asphodel, obviously,” Nico racked his brain for more. “I don’t leave the castle much, as you can tell from my father, so I read a lot in my spare time.”

“Why is that?” Will asked. Nico looked at him quizzically, so he clarified, “That your dad is all controlling, I mean.”

“Oh. I think he’s worried about me. I mean, there’s a lot of bad people out there. He thinks I’ll get kidnapped or something.”

“Oh,” Will echoed. He grinned that grin of his that made it seem like he was about to tell the worlds funniest joke. “What if I told you I was going to kidnap you?”

Nico raised an eyebrow at him. “I’m not sure I would believe you.”

“And why’s that?”

“You would’ve done it already, and sailed away with me on that ship of yours.”

Will leaned in close- close enough to where Nico could see each freckle, magnified. Then, with total seriousness, said: “Or maybe I’m just waiting ‘till you’re buttered up to sink my knife in you.”

A beat. Will broke into a smile. “Kidding! You should’ve seen the look on your face.”

“Ha-ha,” Nico said dryly. He had to admit, his heart stopped for a second- but from Will’s words or from the lack of distance between them, Nico wasn’t sure. They continued walking quietly for a moment. “What about you? What are you like?”

“Besides being a mailman?” Will glowed in a way that made him look like he was made to be in the sunshine. “I’m a musician. I like to write my own songs, and sing them.”

“Could you sing something for me?”

A beat. “Maybe one day.” Nico let those words sink in. Will thought there was going to be a ‘one day’. That they’d stay in touch. Will let his head fall towards Nico, grinning as he said, “When I have my guitar.”

“Makes sense,” Nico commented.

Will let his head fall back so he was looking up at the sky. It was a light pink, dusted with specks of orange from the sunrise. “I like to paint, too, but only because my sister Kayla does. We did it together a lot, at home.”

“You have a sister?” For Nico, that question was loaded. “How old is she?”

“Six,” Will answered with a faint smile. He closed his eyes, like he was picturing his sister in his mind. Nico could almost see her, too- a younger, female version of Will. But she glowed in the same way that he did. Then, Will added quietly, “She’s sick. I’m scared I’m going to lose her.”

Nico kept his eyes trained on the beach in front of them. Each step they took felt heavier, felt louder. Nico’s throat was raw as he said, “I had a sister. I lost her.” He turned to face Will, hoping his eyes conveyed the intensity of what he was saying. That Nico had never told anyone this before. “I know how you feel.”

Will swallowed. “I’m sorry. What was her name?”

“Bianca,” Nico answered immediately. Like he’d imagined Will’s sister, he began picturing Bianca: olive skin, long, black hair in a braid down her back. Kind eyes. A welcoming smile. “She was twelve when she was died. I was ten.”

“How old are you now?”

“Eighteen.”

“Me too.”

“How did she die?” Will didn’t seem to be afraid to ask questions like that, and for some reason, Nico respected that. He didn’t like how none of the castle staff, or his father, for that matter, refused to talk about Bianca. Like she was some sort of taboo. It was refreshing to hear Will ask about her, to be able to relive memories of her.

“She was sick, too,” Nico said, and Will froze. Nico watched him. Will watched the waves. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Will said, but he looked detached from the world. His eyes were blank and spaced out. It was unusual seeing him without the gleam in his eyes and his all-knowing smirk. But then, as if they’d never been gone, they were back. He looked normal again, as if talking about their dead and sick sisters had never happened. “It’s okay.” He repeated.

And somehow, Nico almost believed him, even though he knew he was lying. Will had that affect on people, like you just wanted to believe what he said all the time, even if he was obviously wrong. The world could’ve been crashing and burning around them, and if Will Solace said it was okay, Nico would’ve believed him.

“My mom died too,” Nico said suddenly. “She was always caring for Bianca and caught her sickness. They’re buried together.”

Will inhaled sharply. “I’m sorry.”

“Nothing you can do about it.” Nico kicked the sand in front of him.

Will hummed. They walked quietly for a moment until Will stopped.

“Hold my bag?” He shrugged off his knapsack and held it out to Nico. Nico took it and watched as Will stretched before wading deeper into the water. He spread his arms out and tilted his head towards the sun. The beams hit his body and reflected off of him, making him look almost God-like.

Nico shifted the knapsack to his other hand, and something clanked inside of it. Nico knew he shouldn’t snoop, but curious to see what it was, he peaked inside. He reached inside and found the source of the noise- a pouch made of green silk filled with coins.

Nico held the pouch in his hands, his eyes narrowing. It looked familiar. Why did it look so familiar? Then, it dawned on him. That was his pouch. His mother had bought it for him when he was born, and each year, she’d added a coin, so there were eighteen in total.

“Will?” Nico called, starting at the pouch in disbelief.

“Yeah?” Will turned around. When he saw the pouch in Nico’s hand, he froze. “Nico, it’s not what it looks like-“

“Will,” Nico repeated, taking a step forward. “Why did you take this?”

“I- I’m sorry, Will, but with losing the packages, I won’t be able to make any money, so I thought-“ Will made his way towards Nico, the water sloshing around his ankles.

“No,” Nico interrupted. He rummaged through Will’s bag, his heart dropping more and more with each item he saw. A candle. A picture frame encrusted with emeralds. All things that belonged to him and his family. “You’re not a mailman, are you? You’re a pirate.”

The realization was devastating, but it made sense. Why Will had looked so hurt when Nico had accused him of the very thing he was. Why he’d made the kidnapping joke. Why he’d stolen from them.

“Nico, please, just listen to me-“ Will pleaded. Nico thought he saw true earnestly in his eyes, heard it in his voice. But Will had lied before. Who was to say he wasn’t lying right now, that he wasn’t acting?

What if Will had lied about everything? What if he wasn’t a musician? What if he didn’t have a sister who was sick?

What if Nico had shared the deepest part of himself with someone who had lied about everything?

Nico wanted to yell at Will, to scream at him for lying. But he couldn’t find the words. So he simply turned around and walked towards the castle.

“Nico!” Will called after him. “I’m sorry I lied! I don’t like being a pirate at all, I promise, and I wouldn’t be if it weren’t for Kayla-“

“Just stop, Will!” Nico was sick of it. Of the lying. Of the pleading. He threw the bag down in front of Will, the contents sprawling out onto the sand. He kept the pouch of coins, though. He clung to them like they’re were his only lifeline. “I don’t want to hear it. I can’t believe I broke the rules for you. Twice.”

As Nico turned around and began walking again, he tried to forget how utterly hurt Will looked.

He didn’t try to call after Nico again.

Chapter Text

Captain Will

Will had never wanted to be a pirate less than he did now.

The plan had been to get close to Nico in order to steal from him. But after their talk on the beach, after finding out what they had in common, Will wanted nothing more than to actually be his friend.

And he had gone and ruined that.

Will stayed outside for a while after Nico left, standing and staring out at the waves. They rocked gently, much calmer than they had the night before. Interesting how the rest of the world could seem so peaceful when it felt like Will’s had been turned upside down.

This was the reality of being a pirate. Once people knew who you were, their respect for you was gone. Their loyalty, their kindness- gone. Nobody approved of a pirate. Even your own family, even if you were doing it for them, would always disapprove of the path you chose.

Will’s knuckles curled into a fist. His nails dug into his palm. He wouldn’t let himself cry. No. He was a pirate captain.

He wasn’t supposed to cry.

Will grabbed his bag, his fingers digging into the straps. Turning promptly on his heels, still barefoot, he walked back to the house.

When he entered, he was welcomed with a chaotic scene of half the crew standing in the living room, tossing a vase back and forth. When Will opened the door, it slipped right out of Tyson’s hands and shattered on the floor.

“Oops,” He said dumbly.

Will shut his eyes, running his hands down his face in an attempt not to yell. “Pack your bags. We’re leaving.”

“What?” Sherman Yang asked, his eyes narrowing. “Why? We just got here!”

“The jig is up,” Will said. “Nico knows we’re pirates.”

A chorus of uproar from the crew.

“How?”

“I was doing such a good job at not stealing!”

“We were going to go to a pub later tonight!”

“I know, I know,” Will was able to silence his crew by speaking over them. He didn’t like raising his voice, but with a hoard of thirty men to commend, you quickly learned that wasn’t something you could dismiss. “I’m sorry. But the storm is gone, and we need to leave before Nico informs anyone about our presence.”

“Would he do that?” The youngest member of the crew, a small boy named Harvey, asked with a frown.

No, was Will’s immediate thought. Nico was nice. He was kind. He was the kindest person Will had ever met, and that was saying something, since they’d known each other less than twenty four hours. But there was something about him. He… He reminded Will of Kayla.

“I don’t know,” Will said instead. “But we can’t be too careful.”

The men nodded solemnly and began to pack. Travis inquired after a moment, “Can we steal now?”

Will was too tired to tell them no. “Steal to your hearts desire.”

After a moment, Austin threw down his knapsack. The other men went silent and stared at him.

“Is something wrong, Austin?” Will asked.

“Yes!” Austin cried. “I like it here, okay? And I wanna stay! Maybe we’re pirates. Maybe we want to steal. But shouldn’t we get to have a home, too?”

Murmurs dispersed through the men, a lot of them agreeing with him. Will’s heart ached. He had forgotten that Austin, like a lot of the other pirates, were orphans. They found family in the crew. Asphodel was the longest they’d been docked at any place, all together. No wonder it already felt like home to some of them.

“Yeah, Will,” Harvey piped up, and it was hard not to want to listen to him with his dorky smile that was missing a few teeth. “Don’t give up so easily!”

Will resisted the urge to sigh. “Well, what do you want me to do?”

“Talk to him,” Austin said, coming over to put a hand on Will’s shoulder. “You don’t want to be a pirate, right, Will? Tell him that. Explain to him. Win him over. You’ve got charm.”

Will’s face burned. He was about to tell his crew that it was impossible, that he’d already tried to tell Nico about his situation, and he wouldn’t listen. But as Will looked around the room, at the faces of his men, he knew he couldn’t deny them the one thing they wanted most: a home. “I’ll try.”

The men erupted in cheers, patting Will on the back and shoving him jovially. That was how Will found himself being crowd surfed out the door of the house and onto the beach on the backs of thirty pirates. They continued cheering and hollering as they set Will on the ground and shoved him towards the castle.

No turning back now. Will was still barefoot. He was tired, and he was angry, and he was sad. But he knew talking to someone, one prince, in particular, would solve three out of four of those problems. Unless Nico had some shoes Will could borrow.

The trek to the castle was mostly uphill, and Will’s calves burned after a while, but he’d developed more muscle than he’d had before becoming a pirate, so he pushed on. The castle was even more magnificent up close. It was several stories high, and it looked like it had been built by hand with stone. It looked old, too, because moss and vines grew up the sides of the palace, but not in a way that made it look untended to. The place looked like it was connected to nature, like the Earth was grounding it to its core. Turrets rose from the sides of the castle, stretching into the skies, and stained glass windows reflected light from the sun.

It looked exactly like the kind of place Nico di Angelo would live.

Will knew he couldn’t come to the main doors and just knock for a multitude of reasons. One, Nico could’ve already told his father and the guards that there were pirates on the premises, and Will would’ve been arrested immediately. Two, even if no one did know about him, a strange barefooted boy knocking on the door of the castle probably would’ve been viewed as suspicious. And three, Will wasn’t sure if one could just simply knock on the door of a palace.

So Will snuck around the back of the castle, looking for a room that looked like it could’ve been Nico’s. A lot of the windows on the ground floor were low enough and big enough that Will could peek inside and see what room it was. He just hoped Nico’s room was on the first story, too.

Will passed the foyer, the kitchen, the dining room, and a bathroom that looked big enough to fit his whole crew before he found a room that looked like a bedroom. The curtains were black, and propped up against the wall right next to the window was a bed with black sheets.

Yeah. Definitely Nico’s.

Will peered inside, searching for Nico. His eyes landed on a desk, where a boy sat, writing something. Will’s heart lurched. Nico. He’d changed out of his fancy, princely clothes. He was now wearing black sweatpants and a blank tank top that showed off his arms. His hair was messier than it had been. His face was scrunched up, and he wrote almost furiously.

Holding his breath, Will raised his hand and knocked on the window. Nico’s head immediately swiveled towards the window. He looked alarmed at first, but his expression hardened into a glare when he realized it was Will. He stood from his desk and stormed to the window, kneeling on his bed as he unlatched it and rolled it open.

“Watcha writing?” Will asked with a grin.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Nico hissed in response.

From his vantage point below Nico, he felt like a prince coming to rescue a princess from a tower. Except this princess was a prince, and he definitely didn’t want saving. Will wasn’t used to seeing Nico from below, though. He looked good.

Will chose to ignore the sharp cut of Nico’s jawline, and how his eyes danced threateningly as he answered, “I just want to talk.”

“What’s there to talk about? You lied, Will. End of story.” The hurt in Nico’s voice was unmistakable. It made Will ache for him in a way he’d never ached for anyone before.

“I’m sorry, Nico,” Will said, and it made Nico freeze. He could tell Nico hadn’t been expecting an apology. “I lied, and it was wrong, and I’m sorry. But could you please just let me explain why I did it?”

Nico inhaled. Exhaled. And for a moment, Will thought he was going to tell him to go away. But instead, Nico reached out and held out a hand for Will. When Will just stared at it, Nico rolled his eyes. “Don’t just stand there gaping like a fish- come on, before someone notices you’re standing out here.”

“Oh.” Will said dumbly. He reached up and grabbed Nico’s hand. When their skin touched, Will felt warmth spread throughout his body. He blamed it on the sun beating down on him.

Nico hoisted Will up, and Will planted his feet on the stone of the castle and pushed off to launch himself forward. He propelled himself with so much force that he sailed right through the window and landed on the bed- right on top of Nico.

Nico fell back, and Will fell forward, his elbows landing on either side of Nico’s face. His legs were straddled around Nico’s waist, and Will could feel Nico breathing under him, the slow rise and fall of his chest. Nico’s eyes were wide, brown, and vulnerable. His lips were parted.

Will let himself linger a bit longer than necessary, distracted by the closeness of their faces. A second too long, he snapped out of it, scrambling off Nico and off the bed entirely. “Sorry.”

“It’s nothing,” Nico said, looking dazed as he sat up, pressing his back against the headboard. His eyes never left Will once, making him want to shiver. “You can… you can sit.”

Will swallowed thickly. “Yeah.”

He went to join Nico on the bed, sitting at the end, as far away from Nico as he could. It was quiet for a moment, and Will felt Nico’s eyes watching him. He then remembered he was the one who was supposed to be doing the talking, and he cleared his throat.

“I never wanted to be a pirate. Let alone their captain. I know that sounds dumb, like, oh, how’d you end up here, Will?” Will snuck a glance at Nico. His glance was unwavering. Will wondered if he’d even blinked once. “I joined the crew three years ago, when I was fifteen. The same year Kayla’s sickness started getting worse. My mom had to stay home to care for her, and my dad was one of the dozens of fishermen in my village, so we didn’t make a lot of money.”

“You became a pirate to make money for your family,” Nico realized.

Will glanced at Nico again. Nodded.

Nico licked his lips. He was quiet, like he wasn’t sure what to say. “There’s a million other things you could’ve done. Why not get a normal job?”

“When you’re a fifteen year old kid with no muscle and no credibility in the smallest fishing town imaginable, there’s not a lot of options for you,” Will said dryly. “I tried other jobs, believe me, I tried. I only got hired once, at this shady seafood shop. Let’s just say that didn’t last long.”

Will looked at Nico again. He looked like royalty. His room and his house- his castle- spoke for itself. He was rich. He never had to worry about money. A bitter taste rose in Will’s mouth. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Hurt flashed behind Nico’s eyes, and Will immediately felt bad. He hadn’t wanted to make him feel hurt or guilty. He’d just needed Nico to know he was telling the truth.

“I’m sorry,” Nico said. “I… I jumped to conclusions. It’s just… how do I know I can trust you if you’ve already lied to me once?”

Will pursed just lips. An idea sprung to his head, something one of his men had said earlier. “How do you feel about pubs?”

Prince Nico

Going out with a group of pirates to a lowly pub probably ran by criminals wasn’t jow Nico envisioned he’d spend his Tuesday night.

Will had explained that him and a few of his crew mates were going to a pub later that night, and to meet them there at 8:00. Will would buy him a drink and show him he was worthy of his trust.

Nico’s eyes narrowed. “And why should I trust you, again?”

Will smiled at that, his head tilting. The sun beat down on his skin, turning it golden, like the jewels on Nico’s crown. His cheeks were adorned with dimples and his eyes shone mischievously. “What’s not to trust?”

This could’ve been a trap. Nico was all too aware of that. It was perfect, too- lure Nico out of the castle, to some shady establishment, and- boom! Kill him and steal all his belongings.

But for some reason, Nico trusted Will. Even though he was a pirate. Even though he had lied. Something about the way he’d said, “You wouldn’t understand” made Nico want to understand. He wanted to know Will. To know why he did the things he did, why he did something he hated instead of pursing music like he wanted. Surely that could have made some money to help his family?

Additionally, Nico knew that could’ve been a sob story. He knew Will could’ve been lying again. But it seemed so real. So true.

Will really seemed like he just wanted to help his sister.

Still, this could’ve been a bad idea. But that didn’t stop Nico from clipping on his silk, black cloak and pulling on his matching boots. He opened his window and slipped out, landing in a crouch on the sandy ground. He managed to sneak off the beach and into town without anyone noticing.

When he got to town, he pulled his cloak over his head and tighter around his body, obscuring his face to the best of his ability. Gossip about why the prince of Asphodel was in town late at night was the last thing he needed.

Nico hadn’t been to town often, so he wasn’t sure where to find the pub, but after a while of searching and following signs, he managed to find it. It was a small, low to the ground building, made out of slabs of rotting wood. You could hear music and chatter from all the way outside.

Nico stood outside the pub for a moment, just staring at it. He wasn’t used to things like this. People and socializing, for one, but also anything that wasn’t directly approved by his father to “fit royal standards”. This pub definitely wouldn’t have fit his standards. That made part of him want to run as far away from the pub as possible. It made the other part want him to never leave.

But he wasn’t doing this for himself. He was doing this for Will. He promised Will he’d meet him here tonight, so that’s what he would do. He took a deep breath, steeled his nerves, and pushed open the door.

The sound from the pub hit him like a slap to the face. Thirty pirates were crowded into the tiny pub, sprawled out on chairs with their feet kicked up on the tables. They laughed and sang drunkenly, tossing back swig after swig of their drinks. There was a band playing live music in the corner. Nico stood in the doorway, slipping off his hood as he scanned the pub for Will.

He locked eyes on the back of a blonde head, and as if Will sensed Nico behind him, he turned around and looked straight at him. His mouth broke out into a smile upon seeing Nico, and Nico’s heart lurched. That smile was for him. Because of him.

Will waved him over, and Nico glanced around the pub once more before walking over to join him. He was sitting at a table with one other person- the boy Austin from the night of the wreck. The two of them were sitting normal, chatting quietly and taking small sips from their cups. Will was a lot calmer than the other pirates. It made it easier to believe that this really wasn’t what Will wanted to do with his life.

Nico was about to take an empty chair from another table to sit with them, but Austin glanced between the two of them, then stood. “I’ll leave you be.”

He winked at Will, causing the captain’s cheeks to flush red. Nico furrowed his eyebrows as he watched Austin saunter away, then looked back to Will. “What was that about?”

“Who knows?” Will said lightly, turning his drink slowly in his hands. “Austin’s weird like that.”

Nico smiled softly, then took Austin’s seat in front of Will. “I believe you promised me a drink?”

“I believe I did,” Will said. He called over a barkeeper and ordered Nico a drink called “The Black Sky”, which Will then justified by saying that it fit Nico’s brooding look.

The drink was bitter and with a sharp aftertaste, but Nico found himself enjoying it in a way that made him wonder if Will could guess what kind of drinks he’d like purely off of his personality.

“So,” Nico said after another sip of his drink. “This is supposed to make you trust me because…?”

“Because,” Will echoed. “This is going to make us become friends.”

“Why do you want to be my friend so bad?” Nico had to ask. “I’m a prince that isn’t allowed out of his castle. You’re a pirate who’s probably going to be sailing away any day now. A friendship would be… impossible.”

Will leaned forward conspiratorially, his voice low. “I like a challenge.” He sat back again, taking a sip of his own drink. “Besides. I don’t think my men want to leave anytime soon.”

“Why’s that?”

“Most of ‘em don’t have homes,” Will shrugged, as if that was normal for him. “This is the longest they’ve ever stayed anchored somewhere. They’ve… they’ve grown to like it.”

“Oh,” Nico said simply. “I suppose… they could stay in the house. My father never goes in there, anyway. Me and my mom would go there, but, you know…”

Will reached out and covered Nico’s hand with his. Nico inhaled sharply, looking up at Will and meeting his eyes. They were sparkling, like he knew something Nico didn’t. His smile was as warm as his hand.

Nico swallowed. He tried to keep talking, but it was hard to focus with the way their hands were touching. “M-my mom… she gave me that pouch you stole when I was born, a-and every year on my birthday… she’d put a coin in there. I could spend them on whatever I want, but I- I chose to save them.”

Will’s eyes widened. He moved to pull away, but Nico reached out and grabbed Will’s wrist, pulling him back. “Hey, it’s okay.”

“No, I-“ Will’s voice broke. “I stole something that important to you.”

“You didn’t know, Will, it’s okay-“

“No, I shouldn’t have stolen it anyway, I’m sorry-“

“Will,” Nico said fiercely. He adjusted Will’s hand in his, reaching out and taking his other so all ten of their fingers were entwined with each others. “It’s okay. I know you didn’t want to.”

“You know?” Will’s voice sounded raw.

“I know.” Nico nodded slightly. And the weird thing was, he wasn’t saying it just to reassure Will. He truly believed that Will didn’t want to steal. He had a kind heart. He was a Robin Hood type character- steal from the rich, give to the poor. And even as someone from the rich variety, Nico could respect that.

Will exhaled shakily. “Okay.”

Nico wasn’t used to this- to Will being so vulnerable. He was used to him smirking and cracking jokes. Nico squinted his eyes as he analyzed Will’s expression. He was staring down at the table, his eyes swimming. He looked like someone in need of a distraction.

“You said you’d sing something for me one day,” Nico recalled.

Will blinked, looking up at Nico. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. So sing me something.” Nico grinned.

Will blinked again, then began laughing nervously. “I- I don’t have my guitar!” He protested.

“There’s a live band over there, darling,” Nico pointed with his chin to the band in the corner of the pub.

Will’s entire face blushed, but Nico didn’t know if it was from the the idea of singing or from the nickname.

“I mean, you don’t have to,” Nico continued. He leaned back in his chair with a smirk, crossing his arms as if he’d already won. “If you’re not up to the challenge.”

I like a challenge, Will had said.

Will’s eyes widened, then narrowed, as if he could tell exactly what Nico was doing. His mouth drew itself into a firm line. He planted two hands on the table, then stood abruptly, saying very seriously, “Game on.”

Will pushed off the table and marched across the pub towards the band. Nico watched as he started talking with the lead singer. Will slipped him a couple of coins, and then the singer handed Will a guitar.

Will shuffled awkwardly to the center of the pub. He hung the guitar around his neck and began tuning it as he spoke, “This is for Nico, who knows I can’t refuse a challenge.”

He looked to the band, and they started playing. Will began singing along, strumming his guitar as he did so. When the first note rang from Will’s voice, the breath was taken straight from Nico’s throat. His voice was beautiful. Nico imagined he’d have a good voice, but it was seriously something special. It was smooth like honey, but with a slight rasp that made Nico ache.

His playing was good, too. His fingers, long and nimble, strummed the guitar like he didn’t even have to think about it. Nico could only think about how those fingers felt entwined with his own.

Will’s song was one about his life. He sang about his sister, about having a job he wished he didn’t have to have. He sang about his dreams about being a musician, and he added a verse about a forbidden friendship with a prince. He described the prince as having kind eyes and a loving soul, and even though someone might not be deserving of trust, the prince would trust them anyway.

When the song over, Nico realized he was crying.

Will looked over at him, his eyes shining, and despite Nico’s tears, he smiled. The pub broke into applause, demanding another song. Will looked over to the band, and they shrugged before beginning to play another song. This one was much more upbeat, and everyone knew the words to it, because they all started singing along. The lead singer of the band gave Will the microphone so his voice would still be the loudest in the room.

The pirates started standing and dancing. Some danced with each other, some by themselves, but most of them were just drunk and feeling the music. Even the bartenders were dancing as they served more drinks. Will stood in the center of it all, singing into the mic, his voice carrying throughout the whole room. His smile was the brightest thing Nico had ever seen. He truly shone, turning slowly as he sang, lighting the place up like a mirrorball.

Halfway through the song, Will sauntered over to Nico. He stood on the chair, then stepped up to the table. Nico leaned back in surprise, clearing the drinks off the table as Will began to dance, swaying wildly as he sang.

“Careful,” Nico warned. “Don’t fall.”

Will just grinned in response. He held out his free hand, beckoning Nico to join. Nico shook his head vehemently, but Will was insistent. He kept thrusting his hand in Nico’s face until he finally took it.

He really didn’t take no for an answer- but in the good way.

Nico took Will’s hand, that familiar jolt running through his body that he felt anytime the two of them touched. He let Will pull him onto the table. It rocked, and Nico stumbled forward, but Will caught him. He laughed, setting down the microphone so he could steady Nico.

Will’s arms wrapped around Nico’s waist, and Nico found himself snaking his arms around Will’s shoulders. He looked up at Will. He was already looking down at him. He was smiling. His eyes were dancing. The music was loud and wild, but the two of them were pressed together, swaying carefully on top of their very unsteady table.

Will leaned down and whispered in Nico’s ear, “Trust me yet?”

Nico found himself shivering under a mix of Will’s touch, his voice, and the way his breath hit the side of Nico’s face. Nico whispered back three words he thought he might grow to regret, “With my life.”

They danced until midnight, when half the pirates were passed out cold and Nico couldn’t feel his feet. Will walked Nico back to the castle, helping hoist him up to reach the window. Nico fell forward onto his bed, then turned around to look down at Will.

Will stood on the ground below him, grinning up at him.

“Meet you tomorrow morning, on the beach?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Nico responded immediately.

Will dramatically pressed his palm to his lips, then directed his hand at Nico, blowing him a kiss. Nico rolled his eyes but did the same before shutting his window and locking it. He watched as Will, still grinning, turned on his heels and disappeared down the beach towards the house.

Nico sighed happily as he collapsed on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. His moment of peace was cut short, however, when his door swung open, and a voice from the hall said, “Where have you been?”

Nico bolted upright. He felt his blood run cold, felt his heart stop. Father.

Chapter Text

Captain Will Solace

Will barely slept that night. He walked back to the house feeling like he was lighter than air.

He’d gotten back into the good graces of Nico di Angelo. Hell, he’d done even more than that. He’d danced with him, holding him close to his body, their fingers entwined and their breaths mixing. Will didn’t know what that meant, but he didn’t care.

Half his crew was passed out cold in a bar, but he didn’t care.

He didn’t care because he’d spent the night dancing with Nico fucking di Angelo, prince of Asphodel, and the prettiest boy Will had ever seen.

The next morning, Will slipped on his shoes and jogged down to the beach to wait for Nico. Minutes passed, until those minutes turned into an hour, and Nico didn’t show.

Wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Could Nico have forgotten? Or did he simply chose not to follow up on their plans?

Will was about to go to the castle to check on Nico himself when he saw a figure trailing down the beach, a black cloak billowing behind him. Will’s heart twisted at the sight. There he was.

But the closer Nico came, the more Will could tell something was wrong. Nico’s eyes were red, and tear tracks stained his cheeks. He held his cloak close to his body like he was trying to use it to protect himself from something.

Will walked to meet Nico halfway. He held out his hand to touch Nico’s face, then stopped himself, just as he had the morning before. “Are you okay?”

“I-“ Nico’s voice was raw. He cleared his throat and tried again. “My father caught me last night. Sneaking back in.”

Will’s heart stopped beating. His eyes widened. “Did he-?” He couldn’t bring himself to finish that thought. If something had happened to Nico because Will had asked him to sneak out, Will would never forgive himself for it.

“He hurt me,” Nico finished for him.

Will gasped softly, tears brimming in his eyes as he slowly brought his hand up to cover his mouth. He wanted to throw up, but he was able to grunt out the word, “Where?”

Nico’s voice was too soft. “My back.”

Will swallowed. He shook his head, forcing the tears out of his eyes. He couldn’t cry. He wasn’t the one hurt. He needed to be strong for Nico. He was a goddamn pirate captain. “Come back to the house with me. I have some supplies I can use to help you.”

“I can’t stay long-“ Nico began.

“It’ll be quick,” Will promised. He wasn’t going to put Nico in danger again for his sake. “I can’t let you go back to that house injured. It’ll only get worse.”

Nico hesitated a moment, looking back at the castle before his eyes met Will’s again and he nodded. Will reached out and gently took Nico’s hand, then began to lead him up the beach to the house.

Harvey and a few other younger pirates surrounded Nico and Will as they walked inside, but Will dismissed them, saying they had urgent business to attend to. He grabbed a first aid-kit from someone’s bag, then led Nico to the first empty room.

The room’s were simple- a double bed, two nightstands on either side, a closet, and a desk. Will sat Nico down on the bed and closed the door behind them, locking it for good measure so no rowdy pirates would enter.

Will gently sat on the bed next to Nico. He couldn’t meet Nico’s eyes as he asked the next words, “Could you, um, take your shirt off?”

Nico stared at Will for a second, then promptly unclipped his cloak and let it fall to the bed. It was silent as Nico removed his shirt, grabbing it from the bottom and pulling it over his head. Will tried not to watch, but he couldn’t help from staring. Nico’s arm muscles rippled as he pulled off the shirt and set it behind him. His skin was smooth and lean, with muscles that were subtle but still definitely there. Nico looked back to Will, and Will had to force himself to look at Nico’s face instead of his bare stomach.

Will gestured with his finger for Nico to turn around, and when he did so, Will sucked in a breath. His back was an array of angry red gashes. They rippled as Nico moved, and he grunted in pain. Will instinctively shushed him, whispering that it was okay and that he was okay as he reached out and placed a gentle hand on Nico’s shoulder. His skin was smooth and cold under Will’s touch. Will could’ve stayed touching him forever, but he had a job to do. He couldn’t let himself get distracted by Nico’s smooth, bare skin.

Will directed his attention to the first aid kit. He sanitized his hands and slipped on a pair of surgical gloves. He rummaged through the kit until he found a healing salve. He turned back to Nico, squirting some of the salve onto his palms and rubbing it in.

“This might sting,” Will warned before softly beginning to apply the salve to Nico’s back. Nico inhaled sharply and jerked away, recoiling into himself.

Will reached out, and this time, he didn’t stop himself. He touched Nico’s arm, whispering sweet nothings into his ear as he pulled him back.

Nico let him.

He reached behind himself and gripped Will’s thigh as Will began applying the salve to the cuts again.

Will let him.

Will finished applying the salve, his hands gently gliding over Nico’s back. His skin was smooth. Will could feel the muscles tensing and relaxing under his touch. He could feel Nico leaning into him.

After the salve, Will began wrapping Nico’s body with gauze. He tried to be as gentle as he could as he reached around Nico’s front to secure the wrapping. His fingers brushed against Nico’s chest, and they both shivered.

Once Will finished wrapping Nico’s cuts, he let his hand trail down Nico’s back, gently enough to ensure he wasn’t pressing on the wounds. His leaned forward, pressed his chest to Nico’s back. His head fell to rest against the back of Nico’s neck. His body fit so perfectly against Nico’s.

“Are you okay?” Nico asked.

“You make me feel safe,” Will answered, wrapping his arms around Nico’s stomach. “Are you okay?”

“Better now,” Nico said. Will interpreted that to mean he was better now because Will had fixed him up, but a beat later, he added, “Because I’m with you.”

“I can’t believe your father hurt you like that,” Will said, closing his eyes and drinking in Nico’s presence. “I wish I could protect you from him. From everything.”

“I wish you could too, Will. But that’s not how it works.”

Will’s breaths felt too loud. This moment was so gentle, so quiet. He felt like one wrong interaction could shatter it like glass. He gently disentangled himself from Nico’s body, his hands running across Nico’s skin one last time as he pulled away.

“Don’t stay too long,” Will said, even though the last thing he wanted was for Nico to leave. “Your father might notice.”

“Yeah,” Nico said. His voice was heavy with emotion- some that Will couldn’t place. He grabbed his shirt and slipped it back on, attaching his cloak around his neck once more. He stood and moved to stand in front of Will, who was still sitting on the edge of the bed.

Nico wedged himself in between Will’s legs, leaning into him slightly. Will reached out and held Nico by his hips. Nico’s hands traced the sides of Will’s face, coming to cup him by the cheeks. His thumb rubbed Will’s jaw, then shifted slightly to run over his bottom lip. Will watched Nico’s eyes, dancing with curiosity as he explored Will’s face, his body.

Nico’s mouth quirked up into a small smile, and then he abruptly stepped away. “I’ll find a way to see you. I promise.”

With that, he turned and walked out of the room. Will listened to his footsteps receding, the sound of the front door opening, then closing.

Will sat there on the bed, staring at the place where Nico had been standing seconds before. He could still feel the ghost of his hands on his face, feel the smoothness of his skin under him.

And he yearned for him.

Prince Nico

Thankfully, no one noticed Nico’s absence. He climbed back through his window and locked it as if he’d never even left.

The rest of the day was slow. He missed Will. He promised he’d find a way to see him, but how? He couldn’t risk continually sneaking out to see him. Part of him wondered, though, if the possibility of getting hurt was worth it if he was able to see Will.

The more rational part of Nico knew that was ridiculous. The way his father hurt him wasn’t anything he should take lightly. But he couldn’t stop himself from yearning for Will. When he closed his eyes, all he could see was Will’s mischievous smile, his eyes that twinkled and danced. In the silence of his room, Will’s voice still echoed in his ears, smooth as honey when he sang and soft as butter when he whispered to Nico that everything would be okay.

Nico still felt the phantom touch of Will’s skin on his own.

Nico usually read to pass the time, but now, he found himself writing instead, the same way he had after finding out about Will’s true identity. He’d realized it was a good way to clear his mind. If he wrote everything he was thinking, it quieted the roar in his mind a little.

So he wrote. Page after page, he wrote. He wrote about his father, about how the scars on his back throbbed with each breath he took. He wrote about Bianca and his mother, how every moment without them was even worse than every blow he’d revived from his father. He wrote about Will. Most of his entries were about Will. He wrote about eyes that were like the sea and hair that was as sandy as the beach.

He couldn’t get that boy out of his mind.

Nico wrote until his hand hurt. He set his pen down and stacked his papers orderly on his desk before walking back to his bed. He kneeled next to the window like he often did and peered out at the beach. His heart leaped into his chest when he saw a figure walking across the beach, holding something in his hands.

Nico threw open the window before Will was even fully across the beach. Will looked up and grinned, “Where you waiting for me?”

“You wish,” Nico said instead of what he really wanted to say, which was that Will hadn’t left his mind since the moment they parted.

Will tossed up the thing he was holding, which Nico soon realized was the first aid kit. Nico caught it and set it on the bed before reaching down to help pull Will in.

Will grunted as he landed on the bed, and Nico put a finger to his lips. “Quiet. We can’t let my dad hear.”

“Right. Quiet,” Will repeated, speaking in a hushed whisper. “Let me check your bandages.”

“Right,” Nico whispered back. He tugged off his shirt and set it to the side. He didn’t feel self-conscious being shirtless in front of Will, exactly, but he was aware of Will’s eyes on him. He was aware of how Will’s hands lingered on his skin longer than necessary when bandaging him.

Will gently unwrapped the bandages, exhaling slowly at what he saw underneath.

“Bad?” Nico asked. He hasn’t see the wounds himself, but he could imagine what they looked like. Deep. Red. Angry.

Wounds that only came from being whipped repeatedly.

Nico tried not to think about it, because whenever he did, all he could remember was the way the whip dug into his flesh, how his cries of pain were drowned out by the roaring in his mind. How he begged his father to stop, but he just kept standing over him with that malicious look in his eyes.

“They’ll be okay,” Will answered. “With time and healing.”

Nico hummed, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to ignore the pain as Will applied another round of salve. He then began wrapping Nico’s middle with another roll of gauze.

Will handled Nico so gently, so delicately. It was like nothing Nico had ever felt before. The last time he could remember being dealt with this softly was with his mother, as she’d wrap him in her arms and kiss his forehead.

Will’s hands were soft, not calloused or rough like how Nico would expect a pirate’s hands to be. They barely touched Nico’s skin, but when they did, they felt like fire. In a strangely good way.

“There,” Will laid his hands flat against Nico’s back once he finished. Nico waited, waited for Will to hug him or rest his forehead against Nico’s neck. But Will just let his hand slide from Nico’s back, his fingertips brushing his skin as he did so, like he didn’t want to pull away but was forcing himself to.

“I guess I should be going now,” Will’s voice was the quietest Nico had ever heard it.

Will turned to unlatch the window, but Nico twisted around and grabbed his wrist. “No. Stay.”

“But your father-“

“I care more about you than I care about him.”

The words came in a rush, but Nico knew they were true. Despite having only known Will a few days and knowing his father his whole life, Nico found himself caring about and being more attached to Will. Will was kind. He was considerate. He healed Nico instead of hurting him.

“Okay,” Will said in a single breath. He moved away from the window and scooted closer to Nico. Nico’s hand slid down from Will’s wrist to his hand, covering it with his own.

Will’s hand shifted so their palms were touching. Slowly, he lowered his fingers in between Nico’s, fitting them into the spaces perfectly.

Nico’s mind was a blur of white noise. He needed to say something to distract himself from what he was feeling. “What’s your favorite color?”

“Yellow,” Will answered immediately. If he’d thought it was an odd question, he didn’t show it. “What’s yours?”

Nico locked his eyes onto Will’s and answered, never looking away or blinking, “Blue.”

Will swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “Not black?”

“No,” Nico held his gaze. “Not black.”

Will was the first to look away. His eyes flickered down to Nico’s lips, then back to his eyes. Nico then did the same. He stared at Will’s mouth, watching as Will licked his lips.

Then he leaned in.

Will met him halfway, and their lips had just barely brushed when Nico heard footsteps outside his room.

Nico immediately jerked back, his head swiveling towards the door. Will must not have heard the footsteps, because he stared at Will, his eyes half-lidded, his lips wet. “What is it?”

“Hide,” Nico whispered, his tone harsh.

“Wha-“ Nico cut Will off by grabbing his arm and forcing him to the floor. He lifted the sheets of his bed, exposing the area under it and ushering Will underneath.

Will didn’t protest. He rolled under the bed, and Nico let the sheets fall again, hiding Will from view. Nico quickly grabbed his shirt and slipped it back on. He turned just in time to see the doorknob turning, and his father stepping through.

“Who’s in here? I heard voices.”

“No one,” Nico tried to sound as innocent as he could. “I was, um, probably talking to myself.”

Nico’s father grunted, raising a bushy eyebrow as he looked around the room. Nico held his breath as his eyes swept the area where Will was hidden.

Nico’s father grunted again. “Come with me, son. I’m meeting with Jules-Albert and thought it would be a good idea to take you with me. You could use a formal meeting, man to man, eh?”

“Um-“

“Jules-Albert is waiting,” The king’s eyes hardened into a glare. This wasn’t something Nico could refuse.

Nico nodded. His father turned and walked out of the room. Nico cast a glance towards the bed where Will was hidden before following his father, shutting the door behind him.

Chapter Text

Captain Will

Will’s heart beat furiously as he waited under the bed. It was dark and the sound was muffled, but he could make out the sound of Nico’s voice, and then a much deeper one.

His father.

They talked for a few seconds, and then Will heard the door close. Will held his breath and waited for Nico to give the all clear before he revealed himself.

One second.

Two.

Nico didn’t say anything.

The room was utterly still, completely quiet.

“Nico?” Will whispered. No response. He tried again, louder this time, “Nico?”

Nothing.

Will rolled out from under the bed, getting tangled in the sheets in the process. He managed to stand up, kicking away the sheets and stumbling free. He looked around the room. Nico, and his father, were gone.

Will stood there, feeling numb, the ghost of Nico’s kiss still lingering on his lips. He could still see Nico, shirtless in front of him, leaning forward to kiss him. Without him there, room felt eerily empty. Will noticed, for the first time, just how large it was. It was easy to forget, sometimes, that Nico was a prince.

He felt entirely too small in the giant bedroom. And for some reason, he felt alone. His heart beat slowly. Nico had been there just moments before. Their lips had touched. They’d almost kissed. They’d almost kissed, and then Nico had shoved him under the bed, and then he was gone.

Will slowly turned, taking in each corner of the room. He walked over to Nico’s dresser, running his hand along the smooth, cherry red wood. There was a picture frame resting on the surface. Will picked it up and ran his thumb along the glass. It was a picture of three people: an older woman, and two children, one a boy, the other a girl. Will realized it was Nico with his mom and sister, when they were still alive.

Nico looked to be about eight. He was smiling widely, a gap visible between his front two teeth. His older sister was holding him in her lap, and he looked to be mid-squirm when the picture was taken. Bianca was sitting politely, smiling with her lips pressed together, a long dark braid hanging over her shoulder. Their mother stood behind them, her hand on Bianca’s shoulder. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun, one that looked like it would give you a migraine, but her face was kind.

She and Nico had the same eyes.

His throat closing, Will set down the photo and turned away from the dresser. He drifted over to the desk that he’d seen Nico writing at the night before. There was a stack of papers laid neatly on the desk, a pen placed next to them. Will picked up the stack of papers, running his fingers over the edges.

He didn’t intend to read what the papers said, but a word on one of them caught his eye. Will. His name. Nico had written about Will.

Will set the other papers down and held that one in his hands. He held it delicately by the edges, like it would catch fire and crumble into ashes at any moment. Nico’s handwriting was elegant, almost cursive, but with his own sort of spin on it. He began to read.

Last night, I met a boy on the beach. It was strange how I met him. He’d fallen overboard from his ship during this terrible storm. I pulled him straight from the ocean. He was dirty, bleeding, and unconscious. I thought he was dead.

Nonetheless, he was beautiful.

He had this blonde hair that looked like it was made straight from sunbeams. His skin was tan from always being outside, and he had muscles, too. When he opened his eyes, they were this beautifully shocking shade of blue. It chilled me right to the bone.

His name is Will. He told me he was a mailman. He’s the captain of his ship. He’s kind, and funny, and playful. I’ve never met anyone like him. Granted, I don’t meet a lot of people, but I don’t think he’s like other people. There’s something about him…

I felt like I could trust him. We went for a walk on the beach, and he told me about some family troubles back home. His sister is sick. I could relate to him, and it just made me like him more. I even went so far as to tell him about my past. I told him about Bianca and my mother. It felt so good to tell someone my age who actually understood me about my problems.

But he’s not actually a mailman. He’s a pirate. He had lied to me. He’d stolen a pouch of coins my mother had left me. It was enough I let him and my men stay in the house that my mother and I used to share together, but he’d stolen from it, too. And he’d lied.

That was the worst part.

I’d really thought I could trust him. I can’t believe I let myself be so foolish.

I guess I’m just upset that someone so beautiful on the outside wasn’t that way on the inside.

The paper left Will feeling hollow and empty inside. He knew him and Nico were okay now, but he also knew he’d never forgive himself for hurting him like that. He’d given Nico a taste of a safe space, a real friendship, and then taken it away just as he was getting used to it.

It was like finally kissing someone you’d wanted to kiss for days, and just as your lips brushed theirs, they pulled apart.

Will set down the paper and picked up the rest of the stack. He flipped through them, scanning each entry for his name. If the paper wasn’t about him, Will set it aside. He didn’t want to infringe on more of Nico’s privacy than he had to.

He found two more papers that talked about him. He started reading the first, his eyes flickering intensely over the yellowed page.

Will and I are okay. He snuck over to the castle and knocked on my window like he was some sort of fairytale prince. I let him in. I guess I just wanted closure, or something. But I’m glad he did. He explained everything to me. He didn’t want to be a pirate. He was only doing it to raise money for his family, for his sister. I was suspicious at first, but then I realized I was being too critical. I would never have understand what he had to go through, and why he did the things he did to make money. I was born into money, into privilege. I shouldn’t have been so quick to judge.

So I decided to give him another chance. He invited me to this pub I’d never heard of with some of his crew mates, and I accepted. The pub was loud and chaotic, but as soon as I sat down with Will, I felt at peace. Will’s sort of like that. He has this air about him, an overwhelming sense of safety and security. He’s got a way with words, too, a way that makes me wonder if I shouldn’t trust him. But trusting him feels like the most right thing I’ve ever done in my life, like if I didn’t trust Will Solace, I’d be doubting the laws of nature.

Will wants to be a musician. I dared him to sing something for me at the pub, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned about, it’s that he can’t refuse a challenge. So he sang. He has this voice that commands attention, and when he’s singing, it’s even more powerful. All eyes went to him. At least, mine did. And once they were on him, I couldn’t pull them away. Singing comes as naturally to him as walking and breathing comes to other people. He was completely in his element. He couldn’t stop smiling, and I didn’t want him to. You could hear the smile in his voice, too. It was the most wonderful sound I’d ever heard.

He started dancing at the table at one point, if you can believe it. I was scared he was going to fall, but he never did. The world seemed to bend to his will. If he didn’t want the table to tip, it wouldn’t. I don’t know how he managed it, but he found a way to get me up onto the table, too. Normally, I wouldn’t have done a thing like that under any circumstances, but it’s almost impossible to say no to Will. Dancing on the table with him, I felt more alive than I have in my whole life. Will makes me feel alive. He makes me feel alive and wild and safe and calm all at the same time.

I’ve noticed that Will makes me feel a lot of things.

My father noticed I was gone. He hurt me. I can still feel the whip against my skin. I don’t want to feel it. I hate feeling it. I hate knowing my own father would hurt me if I did something he didn’t approve of. And it’s so strange to say, but even though he did hurt me, I don’t regret it. I don’t regret sneaking out to see Will. I would do it a million times more if it meant I could see those sparkling blue eyes and hear that smooth, silky voice again.

So I snuck out again. I promised I’d meet Will on the beach the next morning, and I wasn’t about to break my promise to him. Even though each step I took was agony, I stumbled down to the beach. I wanted to collapse into Will’s arms right as I saw him, but I held back. Will noticed something was wrong, though. He can read me like an open book. He took me back to the house so he could heal me. This is where it gets more interesting.

He had me take my shirt off. I mean, of course I had to take it off, since the wounds were on my back, but it still gives me such a rush to think about. He applied this healing salve to my wounds, and it hurt at first, but Will’s hands were so, so gentle. So I let him. His hands glided over my back like skaters on ice. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever felt. If he could’ve been touching me for the rest of my life, I would’ve been content. I yearned for his touch, drank it in when I had it. And now that I don’t have it, I feel incomplete.

I wonder what that says about me. Why do I feel this way for a boy I’ve only known for a few days? Why do I feel so hollow without him? Why do I feel like I need him in order to live, like I can’t breathe without him?

And does he feel the same way about me?

With trembling hands, Will set down the paper. He wanted to run and find Nico, shout that he felt the exact same, and kiss him until neither of them could breathe.

Was that really how Nico felt about him? The way he’d described Will was like nothing Will had ever heard before. He didn’t think it was possible for someone to think of him in that way. He’d thought love like that only existed in the songs he wrote; songs he wrote about no one in particular, just the sort of romance he yearned to have but didn’t think he’d ever get.

Was it possible he could have that romance with Nico di Angelo?

The rational answer was no. Nico was a prince. Will was a pirate. Will needed to return home to help his family. Loving Nico was something that could only happen in a dream. But at the same time, Nico was the type of person who made dreams feel like reality.

Will didn’t know when Nico would return. But whenever he did, he needed to talk to him. He grabbed an empty piece of paper off Will’s desk and scribbled a message for him.

Meet me on the beach. Whenever you can, no rush. I’ll be waiting- Will.

Prince Nico

The meeting with his father and Jules-Albert was painfully boring. The king and his butler discussed trivial things like the weather in their kingdom, and that they were concerned with the rising tides.

The whole time, Nico couldn’t get Will out of his mind. He pictured Will in the dark under his bed, waiting for Nico, who probably wouldn’t be returning for a while.

He pictured Will’s lips, inches away from his own, then touching, just briefly. The contact was so short, but it set his lips ablaze. He could still feel the ghost of Will’s lips on his.

“What do you think, Nico?”

Nico flinched, suddenly jolted back to the present. His father and Jules-Albert were looking at him expectantly.

“Um… yes?” Nico guessed.

Nico’s fathers eyes set into a glare. “Nico.”

“Yes, sir?”

“You’re dismissed.”

Nico blinked. That wasn’t what he had been expecting. “Um, yes, sir.”

Nico tried to hide how glad he was about being dismissed as he stood from his chair and walked away. As soon as he was out of eyesight, he picked up the pace and practically sprinted back to his room.

He swung upon the door, calling, “Will!” before he was even fully inside. The door closed behind him. Nico scanned the room, anticipation coursing through his veins. His eyes flickered from the bed to his dresser to his desk.

Will wasn’t there.

Nico’s heart fell. He sighed and pressed his back against the door, squeezing his eyes shut. Will had left. Not that Nico blamed him. But some part of him hoped that he would wait, and they could pick up where they’d left off.

Nico let his head fall to the side, in the direction of his desk. The papers he’d written earlier were still there. But then, Nico noticed there was another piece of paper that hadn’t been there before, with handwriting that wasn’t his.

He walked over to the desk and picked up the paper. His heart starting thumping again as he read the message.

Meet me on the beach. Whenever you can, no rush. I’ll be waiting- Will.

Nico didn’t waste a moment, scrambling over to his window and unlocking it in record speed. He jumped out of the window, landing in a crouch and using the impact to propel himself forward. As he ran closer to the beach, Will came into view, looking out at the ocean with his hands in his pocket.

“Will!” Nico shouted as he ran.

Will looked over, his lips curling into a smile. “Nico. Thank God-“

Nico reached forward, wrapping his arms around Will’s neck and pulling him forward. He crashed his lips into Will’s, kissing him like his life depended on it. Will froze at first, stiffening in surprise, but then he relaxed into the kiss, melting into Nico- into his lips, into his body.

Will’s arms wrapped around Nico’s waist, and Nico started playing with the hair at the nape of Will’s neck. Their lips connected over and over again, moving against each other’s like waves crashing against the hull of the Argo II.

They pulled apart ever so slightly with a slick sound that made Nico shiver. Their mouths were inches away from each others as Nico said, I’ve wanted to do that for a while.”

“Me too,” Will’s voice was raw. His lips were red and wet. Nico wanted to lean in again and kiss him breathless. “Where did you go?”

Nico rolled his eyes. “My dad had me come to this meeting with him and our butler.”

“Rich people,” Will muttered under his breath, but his focus was elsewhere. Nico could tell because his eyes were on Nico’s lips. “What are we, Nico?”

Nico pressed his forehead to Will’s. Their voices were low as they spoke. “Whatever you want us to be.”

“I don’t know what I want us to be,” Will admitted. His eyes flickered from Will’s lips to his eyes, then to the ground before squeezing them closed. His eyes really did tell a whole other story. “I can’t stay here.”

Nico leaned down, kissing Will’s jawline. “Why not?”

He kissed down the side of Nico’s face, trailing down to his neck and his collarbone. He could tell he was distracting Will as he tried to speak, but he couldn’t stop himself. He was thirsty for Will.

“I… I need to go back to my family. Of course I don’t have any money for them, but…” Nico moved the sleeve of Will’s shirt out of the way and started kissing his shoulder, which was tan and dotted with freckles. “I need to make sure Kayla is okay. Surely you understand that.”

Of course Nico understood. But that didn’t make the thought of Will leaving any easier to bare.

Nico finally pulled away, moving back to look Will in the eyes. “I’ll send them some money. You don’t have to leave.”

“Nico…” Will’s voice trailed off as Nico pressed his face into Will’s neck, kissing the skin there. He exhaled, tilting his head back. Nico moved and kissed his throat, where his Adam’s apple was. “I wish I didn’t have to.”

Will reached down and took Nico’s hands in his own, rubbing the top of his hand with his thumb.

“You don’t,” Nico insisted.

“I do.”

Nico inhaled shakily. His eyes flickered down to their hands, then up to Will’s eyes. Will was looking at him with the most devastating expression Nico had ever seen. His eyes were full of sincerity, and Nico could tell the last thing Will wanted to do was leave. But he needed to.

“Okay,” Nico managed. It was the singular most hardest word he’d ever had to force out, but he knew Will couldn’t stay. Did Nico really expect him to leave in that house with thirty other men for the rest of his life? Did he really think he’d be able to sneak out of the castle enough for them to see each other regularly?

Nico might’ve felt a certain way about Will, but they were a pirate and a prince. They weren’t destined to be together, no matter how much Nico wished they could be.

“Will you spend the night with me?” Nico asked.

Will’s eyes widened. “You mean-?”

“Only if you want,” Nico clarified quickly. “I’d… I’d love to have you.”

Will broke out into a smile, and he bit his lip in a way that made Nico ache for him. “Let’s go.”

His heart picking up speed, Nico entwined his fingers with Will’s and led him back to the castle.

***

That night passed in a blur. A sickly sweet blur.

Will’s bare skin was incredibly smooth under Nico. His body was taught with muscles that Nico couldn’t stop running his hands over.

Will tasted like salt. Nico knew he would never get the taste of Will’s mouth out of his own, and he didn’t want to. He knew he would never be able to see the ocean the same way, and he didn’t want to.

Will’s hands explored every inch of Nico’s body. His nails dug into his back, but he was incredibly careful of his injuries. His hands tugged at Nico’s hair, pulling gently. Nico kissed all over Will’s body, drinking him in. He tried not to miss a single spot, because he might never have this opportunity again.

The next morning, Nico woke with Will’s head resting on his bare stomach, his arms wrapped around his body. The sun shone in through the window, and birds chirped outside. If Nico could’ve woken up like this every morning, he would’ve taken the opportunity in a heartbeat.

Nico laid there, listening to Will breathe, feeling his heartbeat. He watched Will sleep, gently playing with his hair, wrapping it around his finger and letting it go.

After a while, Nico gently disentangled himself from Will. He slipped carefully out of bed and quietly got dressed. He then walked over to his desk and pulled a piece of check stock paper out of his drawer that his father had supplied him with. He wrote Will a check for five thousand dollars, then slipped it into the pocket of Will’s jeans, which were lying on the floor of Nico’s bedroom.

Nico heard a small noise from the bed, and he straightened to see Will sitting up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. His abdominal muscles flexed and rippled as he stretched, and Nico couldn’t look away. The sun reflected off the window, shining directly on Will, making him look almost angelic.

“Morning,” Nico smiled.

“Morning,” Will replied, his morning voice rough and low in a way that caught Nico’s breath in his throat. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” Nico lied. Then, he added, for good measure, “But make sure to check your jeans pocket later.”

Will smiled. He opened his arms for Nico. “Come here.”

Nico walked towards the bed and fell into Will’s arms. Will held him close to his chest, running his hand over Nico’s head and his neck. He kissed Nico on the forehead before sliding off the bed.

Nico settled against the headboard of the bed, watching shamelessly as Will got dressed. Once Will slipped his jeans on, he reached into the pocket and took out the check. His eyes widened when he saw it, and he held it out to Nico.

“Nico, no, I can’t-“

“Yes, you can,” Nico insisted, taking Will’s hand and closing it around the check. “You need it way more than I do. I won’t miss it.”

What Will didn’t know was that Nico planned to send even more money, each month if he could. Maybe even more often.

Will swallowed. His eyes were shining with unshed tears. He stumbled forward, crushing Nico in a hug. “Thank you.”

Nico hugged him back, burying his face in the crook of Will’s neck. “Anything for you.”

***

An hour later, Will was packing up his ship. A few of the crew mates were going with him, but a lot of them opted to stay at the house. Nico told them it was no problem, and he’d help them any way he could.

The minority of the pirates that were leaving came over to Will, saying goodbye and thanking him. When they cleared out of the way, Nico could see Will, a few feet away, hovering by the ship.

The two of them walked towards each other, meeting each other halfway.

“This isn’t goodbye,” Will promised. “I’m coming back soon. After all, I have my own ship I can take anywhere I want whenever I want.”

Nico laughed wetly. He hadn’t even realized he was crying until Will reached to wipe his tears away. Nico leaned into the touch, and Will ran his thumb over Nico’s cheek.

They slowly leaned towards each other, their lips meeting in a kiss. It was slow and gentle, unlike their rapid and frantic ones from the night before, but it was perfect. They parted slowly, resting their foreheads together.

“See you soon, then?” Nico asked.

“See you soon,” Will confirmed. He leaned forward to press one last, chaste kiss to Nico’s lips. Then he turned and boarded the boat.

Nico watched as they prepared the boat, un-anchoring it and getting the sails ready. He watched as the ship started drifting away. He watched as Will came to the stern and waved goodbye, blowing Nico a kiss. Nico laughed and returned the gesture.

He watched as Will, someone he’d only gotten to spend a few days with but simultaneously knew was the love of his life, sailed home.

Nico stayed standing on the beach long after the ship was out of view. He stood there until the tide reached his feet, soaking his shoes and the cuffs of his pants, but he didn’t care. He stood there only until he was sure if he stayed any longer, his father would notice.

Nico retreated to the castle. He settled on his bed, staring out the window like he’d done his whole life, waiting for something to happen.

But this time, he was waiting for something very specific to happen.

He was waiting for someone.

Every day for a month, Nico stared outside. He watched the waves, and each time they crashed against the shore, he was reminded of the way Will’s lips felt against his own. Whenever it rained, he was reminded of that fateful day when a storm brought Will into his life. He was reminded of how he’d pulled Will from the ocean, having no idea the impact he’d leave on him.

And one day, a ship sailed into view.

Nico breathed a laugh. He wasted no time unlatching his window and jumping out, scrambling towards the beach. He got there just in time to see Will jumping down from

the bow of the ship, landing in the water with a splash. His hair was longer. His skin was tanner, making his freckles more pronounced.

“Miss me?” Will asked with a smirk.

Nico didn’t respond. He ran straight at Will, tackling him in a hug. Will fell backward, landing in the waves, sea salt spraying around them.

“You came back,” Nico said, breathing heavily as he stared down at Will.

“I told you I would,” Will said. “I can’t stay away from home for long.”

It took Nico a second to process what Will meant. At first, he thought Will was saying he’d have to leave soon because he couldn’t stay away from his family for long, but then he realized Will was saying Nico was his home.

Nico laughed breathlessly and pressed his lips to Will’s. It felt like pure bliss. Will smiled into the kiss, his arms wrapping around Nico’s neck.

And Nico knew Will was his home, too.