Chapter Text
“Ten bucks says Jason cries.”
“You’re on.”
Across from them, Annabeth glares. Nico and Percy laugh obnoxiously under their breaths.
“Ten bucks it’s as soon as he sees Piper.”
Nico claps Frank on the back. “Glad to get you in the betting pool, Frank.”
Now it’s Hazel’s turn to glare at the three of them.
“You’re all in trouble,” Leo singsongs quietly. “Besides, he won’t cry until he starts his vows.”
Calypso shoots Leo a look. Jason makes an angry noise. “Can you stop talking about me like I’m not here?”
“When do you think you’ll cry?”
“I regret inviting you.”
“You don’t have any other friends, who else would you have as groomsmen?”
Jason groans. “Is the paparazzi still here?”
“Last time I checked,” Nico says apologetically. “I don’t know why you’re surprised. You’re marrying Tristan McLean’s daughter.”
“Don’t worry, dude,” Percy says. “We’ll distract them.”
“What does that mean?”
“The four of us have a special plan in case you need to get away from them,” Leo says. “It involves fireworks, a very loud buzzing, and Percy making out with Frank.”
“Hopefully we don’t have to use it,” Percy says. “No offence, Frank.”
“None taken.”
“I’m gonna throw up.”
Nico leans away. “Aim away from me, please, this is a rented tux.”
“You don’t even own a suit?” Frank sounds incredulous.
“Do I look like the type of person who would own a suit?” Nico asks.
“Surely your father requires you to have nice clothes.”
“Well sure, but I burned it in a fit of rebellious rage.”
Frank is giving him a look that says he clearly doesn’t know if he’s joking or not. Percy just laughs.
“Shh! Piper is coming. Behave,” Annabeth hisses. Leo leans forward to ensure he has a good view of Jason’s face, but Frank pulls him back.
When tears start streaming silently down Jason’s face once he starts his vows, Leo whoops loudly and the entire room turns to stare. Jason is glaring so furiously Nico thinks he might strain something, but Piper is laughing.
Annabeth, Hazel, and Calypso are all crying – so, for that matter, is Percy.
“Are you crying because it’s beautiful or are you crying because Jason is off the market?” Nico asks. Percy elbows him hard while Leo snorts.
“You’re going to be back on the market if you don’t shut up,” Annabeth hisses.
“You can't break up with me! We’re not dating!”
Piper stops her vows and looks at them with an eyebrow raised.
“Do you mind if I get married now?” She asks. They all turn red. Leo mimes zipping his mouth shut while Piper smiles smugly.
She looks beautiful. Piper always looks beautiful, but today she is especially so. All of the women look beautiful, actually. Annabeth’s hair is curled, half up and half down; Hazel’s curly hair, which is normally tied back, is let loose, and Calpyso’s is straight, reaching half way down her back. Thalia, although also beautiful, looks incredibly uncomfortable and constantly pulls at her dress until Annabeth slaps her hands away.
Nico turns around and searches the people in the crowd until his eyes land on a familiar mop of blond hair. Will winks at him.
When Jason and Piper kiss each other as newlyweds the room bursts into cheers, but there is a flash from the back. They all turn to see a man duck and run.
“Who let him in?” Piper’s father shouts angrily.
Nico, Percy, Frank and Leo all start after him, but it is Drew, a loosely defined friend of Piper sitting near the back, running in five inch heels somehow, who manages to catch up to the paparazzo. She yanks him by the hair and then smashes his camera on the ground.
“Weddings are sacred, you piece of shit. Even Piper deserves a perfect day.”
“Gee, thanks, Drew,” Piper says, half sarcastically and half sincerely. Drew blows her hair out of her face and smoothes it back, good as new. She glances at Piper.
“Your mascara is running. That’s what you get for using drug store brand. And your hair is a mess.”
Piper rolls her eyes, but she still lets Drew fix her hair. Drew turns to Jason, but then winks. “You’re fine,” she says. Piper shoves her forwards lightly.
Once the reception is in full swing, Will wanders over.
“That was exciting,” he says with a smirk.
“Remind me never to become famous.”
“Were you planning on it?”
Nico rolls his eyes and takes another drink.
“Can I ask you a question?” He says quietly. Nico nods. “How long do you have that suit for?”
Nico looks down at himself. “I’m supposed to return it after the wedding. Why?”
“Because I really want to tear it off of you.”
Nico blushes. “Late fees probably aren’t that bad,” he mutters. Will leans over the table and kisses him.
“Come dance with me,” he says. Nico shakes his head.
“I don’t dance,” he says firmly. Will pouts.
“Oh come on.”
“No.”
“Nico!”
Nico stares him down. Will crosses his arms and leans back, staring back just as firmly, and with a lot more conviction. Nico can feel his resolve breaking.
“Fine. One dance.”
Will grins and whisks him onto the dance floor, pulling him close. Percy and Annabeth twirl past them, and he can hear Annabeth say, “If you step on my feet one more time, Percy, I swear to God –”. Jason and Piper are entwined, and Leo is, for some strange reason, doing the Macarena. He can see Hazel and Frank dancing, bodies pressed together, and dances Will over towards them.
“Leave room for Jesus,” he says, staring at Frank pointedly. He blushes, but Hazel just glares.
“Move along, Nico,” she says. Will laughs and drags him away.
“Have you ever thought about marriage?”
He raises an eyebrow at Will. “Are you proposing?”
Will turns red. “No. I was just wondering. What your plans for the future are.”
Nico shrugs. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it.”
Will is studying him. “Not at all?”
“What are you trying to get me to say, Will?”
“I just… I want to know if whatever future you imagine for yourself involves – well, me.”
Nico laughs. Will looks at him with a hurt expression on his face. “You are so stupid, Solace.” Then he closes the distance between them and kisses him. Will is frozen momentarily, because Nico never willingly kisses him in public. “It’s been three goddamn years, you idiot.”
“I was just making sure.”
Nico shakes his head. “You’re so dumb. I can’t believe someone as dumb as you is in med school.”
Will nips at his ear.
As the next song comes on Piper swoops in. “Mind if I steal Nico?” She asks Will, who bows out. Piper wraps her arms around Nico’s neck and kisses his cheek.
“You look beautiful, Piper.”
She smiles. “I can’t believe I’m married. It feels weird.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Piper McLean,” Nico says with a smirk. Piper laughs.
“It’s weird. I’ve never really bought into the whole take your husband’s name thing, but after today, with that guy… sometimes I think it’d be nice not to be a McLean. Does that make me a horrid person?”
“Probably.”
She punches him on the shoulder. “With Annabeth… Annabeth Chase did a lot of great things. I would be proud if my name was Annabeth Chase. I would wear it proudly. But Piper McLean… what have I done?”
“Piper McLean stole a goddamn BMW when she was fifteen years old.”
“Oh yeah, because that’s the kind of legacy I want. I fought for years against being a McLean. I acted out to try and get my father’s attention, and it was our name that kept him away from me. Jason’s always been there for me. And I know that’s not my dad’s fault, but… maybe Piper Grace would have a better time.”
Nico shrugs. “Are you willing to leave Piper McLean behind? Because I know Piper McLean. Piper McLean’s a pretty cool girl. I really like Piper McLean. And that’s who Jason fell in love with.”
Piper chews her lip.
“Think about it, is all I’m saying. Don’t leave Piper McLean behind just because you think she hasn’t done anything. She’s done a lot. She’s pretty kickass.”
Piper nods, and then Jason comes over. Nico smiles.
“Would you like your wife?” Nico asks. Jason gently pulls Piper away.
“No, I’d like you.”
“I am not dancing with you.”
“C’mon, di Angelo. Let’s go.”
“You have got to be kidding me.”
Jason takes Nico’s hand in his and puts an arm around his waist. Nico rolls his eyes.
“Fine. But I’m leading.”
“Not a fucking chance.”
Nico glares at Will, who is dancing with Hazel. He had dragged him to the dance floor and now it was going to be impossible to leave.
“So,” Nico says. “Marriage.”
Jason smiles and shakes his head, like he can’t quite believe it.
“So are you moving out then?” Nico asks. They’ve been avoiding the subject for a very long time – they’ve spent so long together neither of them is eager to talk about the end of it. After they had graduated they had to start paying their own rents, and Piper had moved in shortly after, which helped, but Nico knows they won't stay. A married couple and their weird emo, gay best friend. A sitcom in the making.
“Piper’s father bought us a fucking house as a wedding gift.”
Nico whistles. “I should start dating movie stars.”
“Your boyfriend might have something to say about that.”
“I’ll keep him on the side.”
Jason laughs. “I’ll miss living with you.”
“Keep the waterworks at bay, Grace, I’ve seen you cry more than enough for today.”
“God, you’re annoying.”
“That’s more like it.”
“I’ll keep a spare bedroom for you. Black walls, skull sheets, the whole nine yards.”
“I appreciate it.”
Jason smiles at him, and Nico smiles back. “M’happy for you, Jason.”
“Well shit, Nico, there’s no reason you need to get so sappy.”
Nico scowls and tries to step away, but Jason grins and yanks him even closer. “Jason, please, not in front of your wife!”
Piper rolls her eyes and Jason tries to dip Nico, who squirms so much he drops to the ground.
“That was entirely your fault,” Jason says from above him. Nico tries to glare, but all that ends up happening is he laughs.
He dances with Annabeth twice, Hazel a few times, and Calypso for about half a song before Leo steals her again. He even dances with Percy once, although he thinks that particular dance might have resulted in a broken toe. Eventually, feet hurting and very, very annoyed by the sheer amount of dancing, he makes his way back to Will.
“I have not sat down in an hour and it’s entirely your fault.”
Will cups his cheek and smiles. “Don’t pretend you’re not enjoying yourself.”
Nico rolls his eyes and rests his head on Will’s shoulder. “This is my last dance. I’m tired.”
He feels lips on the top of his head. “Okay.”
He thinks back to his conversation with Jason, and then he thinks back to his conversation with Will. Before he can lose his courage, he lifts his head and looks Will in the eyes.
“Do you wanna move in with me?”
Will’s hand tightens on Nico’s. “What?”
“Well, Jason is moving out, and now that I’ve graduated I have to actually pay rent, and there’s no way in hell I can afford that apartment by myself. So I figured… if you wanted to, maybe. I don’t want to live alone.”
Will’s smile is the brightest thing in the world, and when he drags Nico back onto the dance floor, Nico lets him.
-fin