Where There's a Will

The sneezes feel like a never ending firework show in his head, or maybe that’s just the cough syrup Will made him take a few hours ago finally kicking in. Or was it minutes? Nico can’t really remember. In fact, the only thing he remembers is the smile of amusement on his boyfriends face before he falls into a deep slumber, too deep to even recoil at the term boyfriend.

He dreams of the summer and the sun shining brightly overhead, which in any reality for him, he’d just find it annoying and far too hot, but it’s his dream and he finds it perfectly warm and comforting. It brings him a sense of security, and really, it makes all the sense in the world.

When Nico wakes up, the first thing he notices is that he can actually breathe properly for the first time all week. The second thing, is a pair of strong arms wrapped around him, and the owner of them snoring quietly. He can’t help the smile that takes over his face, but quickly manages to hide it.

Nico watches Will sleep for a few solid seconds before nudging him as gently as he can with his elbow.

“Hey, Solace.” he mumbles, nudging him harder when Will doesn’t show any signs of waking. Slowly, but surely, he watches as his eyes flutter open, his messy blonde hair shielding most of the blue in his eyes. Nico’s heart melts only slightly. “You’re probably going to get sick now. And you know I won’t take care of you like you do for me.” It’s a lie. They both know it, but neither admit it. Will just smiles and sits up, stretching his arms out as he stifles a yawn.

“Unlike you, I actually got my vaccination this year, Nico. I won’t get sick, and you started shivering as soon as you stopped mumbling about fireworks. Besides, you sound like you’re finally getting better, and I’ve been cuddling you all throughout your sickness, anyway.”

The admission sends a fluttering sensation in Nico’s stomach and he suddenly realizes why his dreams have been so sunny lately. He tries his best not to smile.

“You’re so stupid,” he says, with no heat behind the words at all.

“Love you too,” Will replies before laying back down and snaking his arms around Nico again. Nico instantly feels a warmth both inside and out and doesn’t bother trying to prevent another smile. Instead he snuggles into Will, hiding his face where Will’s neck and shoulders meet.

He lets his lips brush against his neck gently before speaking quietly, “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“Hey, it’s no problem. It’s like I’ve told you many times before,” Will starts, and Nico can already sense the giant grin on Will’s face, “where there’s a Will…”

“Don’t say it!” he pleads quietly, a giant smile gracing his own lips.

“...there’s a way.”

Normally, this would be Nico’s cue to rolls his eyes and kiss Will to shut him up or ignore him for the next hour. This time, though, he just kisses his neck once more and murmurs almost inaudibly, “I love you.”

Will doesn’t reply, and he doesn’t have too. He already says it enough times for the both of them, and Nico can sense the unspoken “I love you, too” in the comfortable warmth of their touching skin and kiss that Will presses into his hair, just like the way Will can sense Nico’s unspoken words in his secret smiles he shares only with him, or soft stares when he thinks nobody’s looking.

It’s completely perfect in every imperfect way.