PJO Magazine Issue #13 - November 2016

05 | One Shot 'You're Lucky I Like Your Cooking'

"Here!"

Will smiled widely and held out a small wrapped gift. Nico looked up at him clearly confused in mid sip of his coffee. "Come again?"

"Here," Will repeated placing the present down on the kitchen table in front of Nico.

Nico blinked blankly. "Thanks?"

Will's smile wavered. "You forgot didn't you."

"Course not," Nico responded slowly switching his cup of morning coffee out for the present. "I-I just haven't drank my coffee yet. I'm still out of it. You get your present later."

Will frowned. "You did forget."

"No I didn't."

"Oh really?" Will asked crossing his arms. "What even is today?"

"Wedn-"

"What's the occasion?"

Nico took too-long-sip of his coffee. "Why would I say it aloud and ruin the magic?"

Will opened his mouth but Nico stood from his chair and kissed him on the cheek. "You deserve my coffee this morning. I'll grab another on my way to work," he called walking off.

Will frowned and picked up the gift. "You didn't even open your present!" He called after.

Nico hurried back grabbed it and put it in his pocket before running off again.

~~~~

"I can't believe he forgot!"

"People forget things Dr. Solace," the nurse beside him shrugged.

"But our anniversary! Nico has always remembered. He always plans something nice and romantic."

"Maybe he has something big planned?"

"Maybe..."

~~~~

"Hazel!"

"I'm here no need to yell," Hazel groaned from the opposite side of the Iris Message.

"Someone's upset," Nico commented.

"Sorry, the baby kept me up all night. But you clearly needed something to call me, I usually call you," Hazel said with a yawn.

"What's today?"

"Wednesday?"

"No seriously. What is today?"

Haze paused and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"It's their anniversary," Frank called from somewhere Nico couldn't see. "Congrats!"

"Anniversary!" Nico shouted relived. "That's what today is!"

"You forgot?" Frank asked walking into the frame.

"No..."

"Idiot," Hazel frowned. "How'd you forget?"

"I don't know!" Nico replied frustrated. "I have nothing planned! I didn't even buy a gift!"

"Well take him out somewhere nice," Frank suggested.

"No he'd know I forgot. I usually do something really nice for our anniversary."

"Like what?" Hazel questioned.

Nico shrugged. "We take nice weekend trips somewhere or cool activities I know he'd love. But I usually put a lot of thought and time into those. Right now I have no thought or time. I'm working from home today but it's still not enough time."

"Okay... Oh when you were first dating was there anything special you guys would do?"

"I'd cook large fancy meals. He loves it when I cook."

"Then do that," Frank told him.

"I don't have the time to set up, cook, buy a gift, and I still need to finish a couple things for work."

"We'll help," Hazel decided after a moment.

"We will?" Frank questioned.

"Yeah, we will. I'll take Emily and go buy a present for Will. Meanwhile Nico can cook and Frank you can set stuff up," Hazel explained before turning back to Nico. "What did he get you anyway?"

"That's still not enough. "Uh I don't know. I forgot to open it. It's a small box though," Nico replied pulling the small wrapped box out of his pocket. He quickly unwrapped the box and opened it and gave a small laugh. "It's a toy skeleton and a skeleton key."

"Why?" Frank asked confused.

"Cause we usually give each other cheesy things. I get toys and I usually get him singing cards which are cheesy as all Hades. He finds them funny and stupid."

Frank raised an eyebrow. "So guys do  something romantic and then give each other something stupid?"

"Yeah. But that doesn't matter. There is still too much to-"

"Happy anniversary!" Shouted two voices from and IM which appeared beside Nico. Nico only stared surprised.

"Did we have the date wrong?" Percy asked.

"I thought I had it right," Annabeth frowned.

"Is five people enough?" Hazel asked Nico.

Nico nodded. "Should be."

~~~~

Will sighed and walked through the front door of his house and shed his jacket. Though he was a bit surprised but the smell of food.

"What took you so long?" Nico- oddly dressed in a nice suit and tie- asked walking over to Will and pulling into a kiss.

"Issues at work," Will responded looking Nico up and down. "What's the fancy outfit?"

"I'll show you," Nico told him starting to lead him out of the entry way.

"Let me just put my coat away," Will said walking to the closet.

"No!" Nico shouted running in front of the closet. "I've got it," he said adjusting his volume and taking the coat from Will you head to the kitchen."

Will raised an eyebrow but nodded and walked past Nico into the dining room. He smiled at what he saw. The dining room was void of its usual miscellaneous papers and clutter and instead was perfectly clean, it was dim with only a few lit candles to light it. The table was set perfectly for two, and his favorite bottle of wine sat on the table. And just to be ever more romantic (dramatic) the petals and bouquets of his favorite flowers covered the table. But what made it complete to Will was the card sitting on the table with a bow on top.

He smiled and opened to see a cartoon sun with smiley face dancing as the song, You Are My Sunshine began to play.

Will hurried back out into the entry way to see Nico slam shut the closet. Will ignored this and pulled Nico into a kiss.

"Did you really think I'd forget?" Nico asked with a slight chuckle.

Will smiled and gave Nico another kiss. "I'm sorry I doubted you."

"Apologies later," Nico told him pulling back. "Come on, for now let's enjoy ourselves."

Will laughed. "Alright but let me change out of my scrubs." Will gave Nico a peck on the cheek before hurrying upstairs.

Once hearing the door to their room close Nico hurried to the hall closet and threw it open. "Hurry up he changes fast."

"You owe us," Percy told Nico giving him a a wave before hurrying to the front door Annabeth, right behind him.

"I expect that you will babysit without complaint." Frank whispered to Nico as he shifted the baby in his arms as he and Hazel hurried out the front door.

~~~~

Will stood up on his room but he was confused to notice movement outside. He glanced out the window and raised an eyebrow at the people running out of his house and down the street.

Will chuckled and shook his head before muttering to himself, "You're lucky I like your cooking Di Angelo."