Found Family (HoO, Mortal AU)

WILL SOLACE

"Please don't say anything embarrassing," he begged his mom.
"I won't! Now, does he like lasagna?"
"Mom, it's just Nico! Coming to study!"
"Well, yeah, but I don't want him to starve," Naomi said.
"Okay. Fine. Whatever. Just don't be embarrassing."
"When have I ever been embarrassing?"
Will raised an eyebrow.
"Fair enough," she said, looking out the window. "Is that him?"
"Yes! Just- stay there. Promise?"
"Mhm."

Will opened the door. "Hi."
"I was joking about the Othello thing. Please."
"'Hello, Will, how are you, Will?' would be nicer."
"Sorry," Nico said. "Oh, hi Mrs Solace."
Will turned around, shooting his mom a quick glare.
"Hi, Nico! Nice to meet you!" Naomi smiled. "I'll be in there-" she pointed towards the kitchen. "If you need anything."
Will deepened his glare.
"It's nice to meet you, too," Nico smiled back. Ever since when had he been so polite?
"Oh- by the way, sweetie, do you like lasagna?"

If Will glared anymore he'd explode.
"I'm okay, thank you."
"Do you like lasagna?" Naomi repeated.
"Uhm- yes."
"Alright!" She smiled. "I'll call you two down in a while."
Will walked upstairs before she could say anything else.
"I like your mom," Nico said. "Is this a baby photo of you?"
"Stop! Annabeth's already shown everyone that!"
Nico took out his phone and snapped a photo. "Hah. I like Annabeth even more now."

Will walked into his room. "Please don't show everyone that."
"I will," Nico followed him. "Oh-"
Will's room was a mess, to say the least. Textbooks, pens, notes everywhere.
"Sorry," he pushed his history textbook out of the way. "I'm kinda panic studying."
"I see that."

Will lifted a pile of books of his chair so Nico had somewhere to sit. "Med school requires high marks."
"And I'm here to help you get high marks. Even if I'm failing half of my own classes."
They studied for hours- Naomi's dinner eaten in between. Everyone once in a while, Nico would shoot him a random question and Will would try his best to remember. Most of the time he couldn't.

"This is hopeless," Will complained.
"It's not just- try."
"I am trying. I'm never going to get into med school."
"You will. Here, why do you want to go to med school?" Nico asked.
Will narrowed his eyes. "Uhm- well-"
Nico waited for his answer, looking genuinely interested, which helped.

Will took a deep breath. "I've wanted to since I was twelve. When my dad died. The doctors- I thought they could've saved him. I thought they were being stupid and careless. So I promised my dad I'd become a doctor or surgeon or- something. I don't know. I want to save lives. I don't want another 12 year old to watch that happen to someone they love. My dad left me money in his will, specifically for med school. It's all I ever wanted in life."
"Well I'm helping you get into med-school, if it's the last thing I do," Nico said, picking up the flash cards again. "Let's try again, okay?"
"Okay," Will managed a smile.

• • •

For the first time, Will learnt something while studying. He wasn't completely dreading the biology test tomorrow. He was still dreading SATs, just not so much. Getting into med school would need a lot more work, Will knew that, but he at least felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders.
The only problem was, while studying, Will would look over to Nico and look away as soon as Nico looked. Or opposite and Nico would look away. Everything was normal, but it felt so different. Maybe that was just because Will was falling for Nico even more. Falling for someone who'd never love him back.

"Jules-Albert is here," Nico said looking out the window.
"Oh," Will replied, trying not to sound too disappointed. "Well, thanks for helping me. It really- helped."
"Anytime," Nico smiled, walking downstairs. "Wait here-"
Will was confused for a moment, but Nico came back in a few seconds with Cerberus- who wasn't as much of a puppy anymore. Nico was truly struggling to carry him, since he looked as if he'd weigh as much as Nico.
"Cerberus!" Will smiled. "He's gotten so big!"
"He's not fully grown yet," Nico replied, setting him down before turning back to the car. "GO GET HAZEL FROM FRANK'S! THEN COME BACK FOR ME!"

Jules-Albert didn't look too impressed, but he drove off to collect Hazel.
"I hope it's okay if I stay?" Nico said.
"Of course."
"Good, cause my house is far away and I can't drive."
"I'll teach you," Will offered.
"Huh?"
"In exchange for you helping me study, I'll teach you how to drive."
Nico looked mildly terrified. "I'll crash, but deal."
"Great."
"Great," he repeated with a smile.

After that, there was a lot of awkward conversations, mostly consisting of 'uhm's or 'emm's, as they tried to avoid eye contact. Something definitely was different. Not necessarily in a bad way. The second time Jules-Albert pulled into the driveway, Will knew Nico was actually going home this time.
"See you at school," Will said. "If you see Magnus, his friends or Shel before they leave tell them I said bye!"
"Alright. See ya."

Will walked back inside, closing the door behind him.
"Well, well, well," said three voices in unison. Will hadn't realised, but Lee and Michael came to visit and were sitting at the table with Naomi.
"What?" Will asked with a slight eye roll.
Lee instantly started singing 'I Won't Say I'm in Love' from Hercules, just for everyone to roll their eyes.
"You swoon, you sigh why deny it u-"
"Shut up, Lee," Will muttered. "Haven't you been trying to flirt with your neighbour for the last few years?"
"Leave Zoë out of this. She'll fall for me someday."

Michael visibly cringed. "Anyway-"
"I'm going up to my room."
"No!" Lee said. "We need details."
"About what?"
"Your love life," He answered.
Will rolled his eyes for the third time. "Non existent, just like alla y'all's."
"Ouch," Michael sighed.
"That," Lee motioned to the door, obviously indicating Nico just leaving. "Didn't look non existent."
"That," Will mocked Lee's motion. "Wasn't anything do to with my love life."
Naomi laughed quietly. "Okay, boys, leave him alone."
"Thanks, Mom."
"But seriously, just get a move on and ask that kid out."
"MOM!"

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Word Count: 1068

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A/N: NO WAY!! AN UPDATE!! AFTER LIKE 700 YEARS!!!

Good news, exams are over. Until June. Bad news, this chapter is awful and I still don't have much motivation, but I have more motivation than I did. Great news, I have a week off!

And I'm sorry for not updating in so long. Thanks to anyone who stuck around and waited ❤️❤️❤️