Sorry about not updating this story last week, I was super busy but here it is now and I hope you enjoy!

Will's POV

He could feel his eyelids drooping as he stretched out on the couch, sipping coffee quietly as he watched the rays of the sun touch even the darkest corners of the city, the streets already bustling with activity. He could hear the whisk scratching at the side of a ceramic bowl as Percy whipped eggs for breakfast, Annabeth still sound asleep and Jessica was stepping out of their room, stretching as a yawn escaped her mouth. For a few seconds Will basked in the quiet of the apartment, the radio playing a song that Will had never heard in a language that he didn't know. The melody was soft, however, and he let it wash over him as he took a sip of the boiling liquid in front of him.

"Will, where's that milk that you got last night?"Percy asked, sticking his head out of the fridge. 

"What milk?" 

"You know, the milk you were absolutely obsessed with yesterday?" Percy said. "Remember it was like nine at night and you insisted on going out and getting milk?"

"Oh, I forgot it," Will blushed, turning back to his coffee. 

"Yeah, that was weird," Jessica said, jumping onto the couch next to Will and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "How do you forget the only thing you went to the store for?"

"Sometimes things like that just happen," Will said with a nervous chuckle, taking a sip of his coffee with a trembling hand. "You can't explain it, I guess."

"Yeah, I guess," Jessica said as she wrapped her arm around Will's waist, squeezing him tightly. Will felt shivers rocket up his spine. "We should go on a date today."

"A what?"

"A date," Jessica grinned. "You know, just the two of us, having some alone time."

"What about a double date?" Will asked, leaning his head back and making eye contact with Percy. "Percy, you and Annabeth want to come?"

"We're going to a museum after she wakes up," Percy said as he whisked the egg and poured it into a pan. "But you two should go, it sounds nice. You guys never spend any time together."

"Yeah, it sounds nice," Jessica grinned, looping her arms around Will's neck. "We can go for brunch. There's a little place a few blocks from here that I think you'll like. I'm so excited!"

"Hey, you guys want some scrambled eggs?" Percy asked, turning around and shooting them a grin. "There's extra."

"I'm good," Will said with a tight smile as Jessica rested her head on his shoulder, smiling sleepily. "I'm not really that hungry."

------

"Look at how cute this place is!" Jessica squealed, squeezing Will's bicep. Plants hung from the ceiling, greenery  cascading down onto the cobblestone floor. Pastries were showcased in the display case and a barista passed a frothy coffee across the counter to a boy with shaggy black hair. "Let's sit here." She patted the smooth surface of a round wooden table, the cracks in the oak covered by a glassy glaze. The black chair was comfortable despite its cold plastic material and Will felt himself relaxing as he glanced around the cafe, the fairy lights strung up around the wall casting a pale yellow light onto the wall, covered in black and white photos that screamed with emotion. There was something about the place that was homey, like a warm chocolate chip cookie that melted in your mouth or a tight hug from an old friend. 

"What do you think you're going to get?" Jessica asked, frowning at the dark green menu. Il caffè del marciapiede was scrawled on the front of the menu and when Will wracked his brain he managed to pull up The Sidewalk Cafe from his four years of high school Italian, taken despite the fact that his dream of going to Italy had seemed like nothing more than a fantasy his freshman year. The name of the cafe was effortlessly simplistic but it was somehow beautiful, like a singe flower standing out in the middle of a field. "I think I'm going to get avocado toast." Jessica's voice steamrolled his thoughts and brought him back to reality, compelling him to open up his menu and scan the dishes listed in Italian, white lettering on dark green paper that reminded him of a forest.

"I'm not sure," Will frowned, squinting at the menu as he struggled to translate the words. "Maybe an egg sandwich."

"Get the cappuccino," came a voice from behind him, shockingly familiar. It was a beautiful voice, the accent smooth and thick and the words kind. "Best in Venice." The words sparked a memory of the previous night in the back of his mind and he turned around to stare into the dark brown eyes of Nico, his hair lazily framing his face and the sunlight streaming in through the window lighting him up like an angel. "I know I said that last night, but I'm serious about this one. I come here every day." Will's eyes flitted over to Jessica just in time to watch her eyebrows raise slightly and she set her menu down on the table with a quiet curiosity, not one of malice but it still sent fear shooting up Will's spine. 

"Last night?" she asked, frowning at him. "You never said anything about seeing Nico last night." Will made panicked eye contact with Nico before clearing his throat, giving Jessica his best smile.

"Sorry, I meant to tell you, but I guess I forgot," he explained hastily. "I ran into Nico at the store last night and he mentioned these cappuccinos, and showed me where to get them."

"Well, that explains why you forgot the milk," Jessica laughed. 

"Yeah," Will said with a nervous chuckle. "That's why I forgot the milk."

"Anyway, Nico, you were saying that the cappuccinos are good?" Jessica continued, turning her head to face Nico and her cheeks raising with her smile.

"They're amazing," Nico responded. 

"Well, I'll get one of those, too," she decided, flicking an imaginary speck of dust from the menu. "Will, do you want me to go up and order?"

"Yeah, that would be great," he said, smiling. It tightened when she kissed him lightly on the forehead before standing up, sauntering off to the counter. When she was out of earshot Nico pulled up a chair, flashing him a cheeky grin.

"You don't seem too happy when she kissed you," he pointed out, taking a sip of his coffee and gazing at him over the top of the cup.

"Of course I was happy," Will muttered, his eyes focused on a spot on the wall. He blurred his eyes until the light looked like a yellow smudge on a sheet of paper. "She's my girlfriend."

"Yeah, you don't seem too happy about that, either," Nico said. "You seem so tense around her, but you were so loose and carefree last night. You were like a completely different person."

"We've know each other for a day," Will said, scrambling for a defense. "What do you know?"

"I've spent a lot of time reading people, and you don't seem happy," Nico said, inching his hand closer to Will. "And Jessica seems like a nice person, but I think she's the root of your problem." Will bit his lip but as hard as he wracked his brain he couldn't seem to think of a comeback. Nico was staring at him, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the side of his paper cup. The sound was a bug burrowing its way into Will's brain and he rested his head in the palm of his hand, focusing his attention on the light-smudge on the wall. When he took his eyes off of it he would have to address Nico's claims, that it was his own girlfriend that was making him unhappy but he would shove the impossible task of unpacking his sexuality off as long as he possibly could.

"Food's up!" Jessica sang, sashaying over to them with two plates balanced on her arms and two paper cups of steaming liquid in her hands. "Will, here's your sandwich, and your drink." She set the food down in front of him and he caught a whiff of her rose perfume, artificially sweet. She sat down, grinning at him from across the table. Her fiery red hair bounced down her shoulder and her emerald green eyes glittered with happiness. She was pretty but something felt off, something that dug a pit in his stomach that had only been filled once since they had been dating, during a quiet night climbing the rooftops of Venice.

"I should go," Nico sighed, standing up. "I'll leave you two to your date."

"No, stay!" The words tumbled out of Will's mouth before he could stop them and he almost regretted them when he spotted the crestfallen expression on Jessica's face. 

"Are you sure?" Nico asked as he sat back down, taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, it's fine," Jessica muttered, taking a bite of her toast. "Whatever Will wants."

Jessica stood up once her plate had been cleared, interrupting the conversation that had been occurring between Will and Nico. "I'm going to the bathroom," she announced, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'll be back soon." They watched in silence as she disappeared behind the wooden door and once the coast was clear Nico turned to him with a sense of urgency flashing in his eyes. 

"I have to see you again," he said, his running his finger down Will's hand until it dropped to his knee. "When's a good time?"

"I can try to make tonight work," Will promised as they heard a toilet flush behind them. "I'll text you, okay?" 

"I'm looking forward to it." Nico stood up as Jessica reappeared, wiping her hands on her light wash jeans. "I should get going, but it was nice seeing you again, Will. Bye, Jessica." She gave him a small wave as he grabbed his coffee in his right hand, walking out the door and disappearing into the bustle of the street.

"It's nice being alone again." Jessica made a move to grab Will's hands just as he picked up his sandwich, taking a bit into the side. It was more flavorful, as if the simple act of being alone with Nico for even two minutes had made his life so much better. "I like Nico, but it's nice having it be just the two of us." Will didn't reply as he stared at the spot where Nico had vanished into the crowd with a small smile on his face, his mind whirring with possibilities. "Why are you smiling?"

"Huh?" Jessica's voice brought him out of his fantasies and back into the reality that he lived in. "No, reason. Just happy to be in the city with the people I enjoy spending time with the most, I guess."

------

Jessica laced up her shoes, slipping on a light sweater to combat the quickly cooling air of the city. "Will, come on," she said, gesturing for him to stand up from where he had been lounging on the couch, his leg hanging over the armrest as he scrolled through meaningless post after meaningless post as he bided the time until they left. "We're going for a walk. We're not going to get a nice, cool night like this for a while. Besides, look outside. It's beautiful." She pointed out the window where the sun had drenched the sky in shades of gold and the lights of the city spilled out onto the cobblestone sidewalk, illuminating the tiny shop fronts filled with the constant ebb and flow of city life and the lovers cuddling in gondolas as the narrow boats cut through the crystal clear water. She was right about the city being beautiful; it took Will's breath away every time he looked at it. But there was someone else he would rather explore it with.

"I'm tired, actually," he lied as he fought to contain the growing excitement bubbling inside of his chest. "I might just stay here." He rested his head on the pillow to feign exhaustion. Jessica frowned. 

"You're tired?" she frowned. "It's only seven thirty."

"It's been a long day. Jessica, I'm exhausted." He faked a yawn the best he could and he thought he could see Jessica's frown lightening up, turning to an expression of quiet disappointment.

"If you want I can stay here with you," she offered, sitting down on the arm of the couch and rested her hand on his. "I don't want you to be alone. We can order some pizza and watch a movie, if you want. It'll be a nice chill night."

"No, you go with Percy and Annabeth," he insisted, gesturing to the couple talking in hushed tones next to the door. "I don't want you to miss out on a fun night. I'll be fine here, honestly. I'm probably just going to sleep, go ahead."

"Are you sure?" 

"Positive," Will said, standing up and giving her a light push. "Go head, I don't want to get in your way of fun."

"Okay," she grinned. "See you later, babe." She gave him a light kiss on the cheek and he flopped back down on the couch with his feet propped up on the armrest pretending to scroll through his feed until the door was shut tightly after them. He clicked onto iMessage, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he fought to contain his excitement. 

They're gone, we're clear, he wrote. How soon can you meet me?

------

He and Nico met underneath a flickering streetlight next to the gently moving water of a canal.    It cast a pale glow over his head like a halo and a shiver ran up Will's spine, his mouth moving soundlessly as he fought to push out the words he had been running over in his head for the past two hours. "You look good," he blurted out, his cheeks turning to apples and his mouth turning up into a small smile. 

"Thanks," Nico laughed. "So do you."

"So, where are we going?"

"There's this park two blocks away that I think you'll like," Nico responded, walking slowly down the street. "It's beautiful. It's all lush and green and there are all of these little benches that you can sit on, and paths right next to the canal that runs through it."

"It sounds amazing," Will grinned, jamming his hands into his pocket. 

"I love it," Nico gushed. His grin spread ear to ear and it made Will's heart soar with joy. "I love all of the canals here, but sometimes you just need a little bit of green, you know? Sorry if that sounds weird, like it's so beautiful here but I still want more beauty in my life."

"No, no, I get it," Will replied, kicking up dust as they walked. "New York is amazing and everything, and people think that I'm so lucky for living there but there's no nature or anything. It's all artificial. That's why I like it here, I think. It's so pretty. I almost never want to leave."

"How much time do you have left here?" 

"A few more weeks." They rounded the corner and Will's eyes were met with an explosion of green, trees hanging low over a gray path that wound around a bend with benches scattered around the edges. 

"Well, we can hang out until you leave, at least," Nico said, linking his arm around Will's. "We can do stuff like this." They began walking down the path and when Will didn't respond he glanced over at him, grinning. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," Will smiled, a pale green leaf brushing him on top of his head. The trees had recovered from their long winter, an explosion of green that blotted out the sky. 

"I knew you would," Nico said. "I feel like I know you, kind of. Like, we haven't known each other for long, but still."

"I feel that way, too," Will said as they made their way down the path with the streetlights illuminating their route. He was smiling until he saw activity through the trees, a familiar spark of fiery red hair. "Shit," he muttered, his face paling and his eyes widening to the size of moons. "We need to hide."

"Will?"

"That's Jessica," he whispered hoarsely. "And Percy, and Annabeth. Nico, I told them I was tired and I was staying home. I need to hide." 

"Get under the bench," Nico urged, gesturing to an s-shaped bend with with a small hiding place underneath it. "I'll cover for you." Will dove underneath the bench and Nico sat down, whipping out his phone and slipping in an earbud just as Jessica, Percy and Annabeth rounded the corner, chatting animatedly. Will could hear their footsteps drawing closer and he could feel his heart pounding at the walls of his chest, threatening to escape the confines of his body. His legs were impossibly folded up and he shoved his head in between his knees as he fought to keep his breathing steady and quiet. 

"Hey, Nico!" Percy. Percy was a foot away, the tip of his dark blue sneakers next to Will's head. If his foot moved forward an inch it would hit Will's head. He would look down to see Will hiding like an idiot underneath a four foot bench and his secret would be exposed. 

"Hey, Percy." Nico was good at keeping the panic out of his voice. "Weird seeing you here, huh?" He had read Will's mind.

"It's too bad Will isn't here," Jessica commented. "He would have loved to see you." Nico made a noise resembling a gag before clearing his throat as droplets of sweat appeared on Will's forehead. "He said he was tired, I guess."

"Yeah, well, sometimes spending so much time in the city can do that to a person," Nico said with a nervous chuckle. 

"Anyway." It was the first time Will had heard Annabeth speak. "Are you here alone?"

"Yeah, it's one of my favorite places in the city," Nico said. "I like to spend a little bit of time here every day, even if I am just on my phone."

"What are some of your other favorite places?" He felt a pressure on the bench and he poked his head out just far enough to see Annabeth sitting on the edge of the bench, her leg hanging down inches away from his shoe. No, no, no, no, no. He struggled to compact himself further but his body seemed to have reached its capacity for being tucked into impossibly tight spaces so he squeezed his eyes shut and hoped for the best. 

"They're gone," Nico whispered as footsteps faded away. Will stuck his head out from underneath the bench, craning his neck so that he could see three pairs of shoes walking down the path. 

"That was close," he muttered, smoothing down his hair and pushing himself up. His legs felt like jelly and he had to brace himself on Nico's shoulder so he didn't tumble back down to the ground. "That was way too close. I should go."

"Do you want me to walk you back?" Nico asked, biting his lip as he stood up. He brushed dust from the top of Will's head, standing on his tiptoes to reach the mess of blonde curls. "Never mind. That would be risky, wouldn't it?"

"Probably," Will sighed. "I'll be fine, but I should hurry. I need to be back before they are." Nico was smiling, happiness flashing in his eyes and all of a sudden he wrapped Will in a tight hug, shutting his eyes and squeezing tightly. Will hugged Nico back and when he shut his eyes all he could feel was the cool night breeze on his face and the quiet music of a violin somewhere down the path, the sweet notes soothing and beautiful. For a handful of precious seconds it felt as if Will and Nico were the only two people in the world, and the feeling lifted Will up as if there was a string attached to his head and the man on the moon was tugging it higher, higher, higher until he was floating. When he and Nico pulled apart the string snapped and his feet returned to the ground and he felt normal again. Plain and normal. He didn't like the feeling.

"You should go," Nico whispered. "I'll text you later, okay?"

"Yeah, we can talk later." Will didn't want to leave but he found his feet pulling him in the direction of their apartment until he was running, the soles of his shoes pounding the pavement, not giving him enough time to look back. He sped down the street, the lights blurring in his peripheral vision and when he skidded to a halt Jessica, Annabeth and Percy were jimmying open the door. Will felt the blood drain from his face and when the door was shut behind them he leapt onto the fire escape, his hands moving at warp speed to pull him up before stopping at Percy and Annabeth's window praying that it was unlocked. He pried it open, ducking inside and hopping through a minefield of Percy's tee shirts until he catapulted himself out of their room and onto his shared bed with Jessica just as he heard the door swing open and Jessica called his name.

"I'm in here," Will called, quieting his voice in a feeble effort to make it sound as if he had just woken up. Jessica pushed open the door and a sliver of light spilled inside and he raised his head from where it had been pushed inside of a pillow, giving her a sleepy smile. 

"Did you have a nice nap?" she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and stroking his hair. 

"Yeah, it was amazing." He feigned a yawn. "I feel so much better. How was your walk?"

"It was beautiful," she gushed. "You would have loved it. We can go again, if you want. It's so nice to be able to go somewhere like that with someone you love."

"Yeah, I can imagine," Will said. 

"Anyway." She sighed, standing up. "I'm hungry, I'm getting food. Do you want anything?"

"I'm fine." He watched her leave and soon she was replaced with Percy, leaning against the doorway with his arms folded over his chest. 

"So, you've really just been here the whole time, huh?"

"Yeah, I've just been really tired today," Will said with a nervous chuckle. "It's just one of those days, I guess."

"Well, I was wondering if you heard anything in my room?" Percy asked. "Because our window was wide open but the funny thing is, I specifically remember closing it on my way out." Will gulped, swallowing a nervous feeling and letting it settle in his stomach. 

"Nope, didn't hear anything," he said, the nervous feeling weighing down in his body like a brick.   Percy shook his head, crossing the room and looming over Will's bed. 

"It must just be one of those days," he said, clicking his tongue. "Because I could have sworn I heard Nico talking to someone in the park, but he said he was alone and you've been hear all night, asleep." He shook his head. "Guess I'm just imagining things today, huh?" Will fought to contain the panic growing inside of his chest and he mustered up the most sincere smile he could. 

"Yeah, guess it really is just one of those days," he whispered. Percy's eyes were digging into his soul but a sickly sweet smile spread onto his face and he moved backwards without taking his eyes off of Will. 

"I didn't know you slept with the light on," he commented, nodding up at the light shining bright on the ceiling. 

"I was so tired I must have fell asleep with it on," Will said, his voice so quiet that even he couldn't hear it. Percy nodded but something flickered in his eyes, something that left a sense of fear in Will's heart. 

"Well, if you're so tired, you should probably get more sleep," Percy said, flicking the light off. "Goodnight, Will."

"Night, Percy," Will said feebly. Percy shut the door with a gentle click leaving Will alone in the darkness with his mind drenched in panic.

Hi guys, once again I'm really sorry that this was a week late, but I hope you liked it!

Nina