Shelter (Solangelo)

Chapter 26

Nico stares out the window of the old Buick station wagon Jules-Albert seems to have made his own. They've been driving up highway 101 for a couple of hours and Nico enjoys the quiet of the early morning, watching the trees fly past. Will sits beside him in the back seat and Lou Ellen in the front. She's used her power over the Mist to make Jules-Albert look young, alive, and handsome, and he just seems happy to be driving again.

Will's asleep beside Nico, snuggled up under Nico's new jacket, while Lou Ellen hums occasionally to whatever music she's listening to on her ipod. Nico has spent some time learning about how technology has changed over the years, but he's not sure he's ready to embrace it. The fact that it amplifies demigod signatures to monsters is enough to put him off it.

He turns away from the window, watching Will sleep, memories of last night rolling around in his head and speeding his heart. He thinks he's finally ready to admit to himself that he and Will are boyfriends. After last night, he's almost tempted to use the word lovers, but that feels too sappy – like something Zephyros would say.

He frowns, thinking about the god of the West Wind. Zephyros had said he related to Nico, that he wanted to be friends with him. It's beyond bizarre, but Nico can't help feel a niggling sensation in the back of his brain that Zephyros was reaching out from the bottom of a huge depression, a last ditch effort to save himself from succumbing to it. He hopes things work out for the guy.

Will shifts in his sleep as if he's trying to roll over, but can't because of his seatbelt, and instead, leans his head on Nico's shoulder. Nico's heart races again, and he slides his arm around Will's back, thinking.

He let me in. Accepted me all the way. The look on his face when he came …

Nico shivers. He's not cold; rather, he's struggling to tamp down his arousal.

"Morning," Will murmurs against his shoulder.

Nico smiles, his cheeks warming up. "Hey."

Will sits up and stretches, or tries to. The Buick isn't as compact as some cars, but Will is so tall, there still isn't a lot of room for him to move around. "You never told me," he says, settling back in Nico's embrace. "What changed about you? Why don't I feel the darkness like I used to when I touch you?"

Nico darts his eyes at the back of Lou Ellen's head. She's nodding along with her music, and doesn't seem to notice they're awake. He takes Will's hand and threads their fingers together on his lap. "It was talking to Apollo actually; he cleared up something that's been bothering me for a long time."

Will exhales, humming low. "Sometimes he does have good insights – when he's not acting like a moody teenager anyway."

Nico doesn't miss the trace of bitterness in Will's voice. He searches for some sort of diversion. "Uh … Oh, you never told me about the humiliating experience Lou Ellen mentioned. You said you would if I dropped it for the rest of the night."

Will rolls his head against the back of the seat, looking up at the car's ceiling as if praying for an escape.

"You know, Will," Lou Ellen says from the front seat; apparently, she had been listening. She's lowered her sun visor and watches them in its mirror. "I could start the story and you can finish it, if that makes it easier."

"Fine," Will says. He grips Nico's hand tighter. "Go ahead. I trust Nico not to judge me on my dirty laundry."

"Okay, good," Lou Ellen says, and Nico sees her eyes flash with mirth in the mirror. "So this was like three or four years ago, before the Battle of Manhattan. Will was going out with Katie Gardner, from Demeter Cabin …"