Chapter Text
Nico waded through the crowd to get to the bar. The music was loud but the band sounded really good. Hattie saw Nico at the bar and walked to him, letting Rachel serve the other people that had come to the bar. She was wearing a pirate outfit, eyepatch and fake parrot on the shoulder included. She lifted the patch as she began talking. “Thank you for the band.” She said loudly, trying to be heard over the noise. “They’re really wonderful and people seem to really enjoy them.”
“Glad you like them, Hattie.”
“Would you like something to drink?”
“Yeah, just the seasonal beer.” Nico passed a five dollar bill to her.
“You’re finally here!” Hazel’s voice came from beside Nico. He quickly turned to her. Her smile was bright and she gave him a quick hug. “Your zombie makeup is amazing!”
She held up a finger as if to poke his face. He quickly dodged her. “Don’t touch it. It took forever to get right.”
“Is that why you’re here late?”
Hattie handed over the beer. “They’ve only played two songs and have seven more in their line up,” she explained with a smile.
Hazel nudged Nico and led him towards the back of the bar. Frank stood at a table with a tall glass of beer. He was wearing black pants and a black t-shirt, black cat ears. His face was carefully painted with cat features, no doubt done by Hazel. Nico took a step back to look at the two of them together. Hazel was wearing a very cute little black dress with striped tights and a big, black witch’s hat on top of her curls.
“Are you her familiar?” Nico asked with raised brows.
“Someone forgot to get a costume this year.” Hazel answered as Frank blushed.
“I though Will would be here,” Frank said, diverting the attention off himself.
“He’s at a party-at his friend’s place. I’m going there after this.”
“Nico’s going to a house party? That’s a first.” Hazel teased.
“So, do you want me to be social or not?” Nico laughed as he threw an arm over Hazel’s shoulder.
“Of course I want you to go out.”
“I’m giving you shit, Hazel.” Nico kissed her cheek.
---
The band finished their set and reminded people to tip the bartenders. As they walked off stage, Hattie started up a playlist. Nico hugged Hazel. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Have fun,” she responded with a grin.
Nico walked out of the bar as others walked around him in costumes being loud and drunk. The house wasn’t too far from campus, it took him about thirty minutes to get there. He had texted Will to let him know he was on the way. He could hear the party before he saw which house it was, bass pumped loudly across the neighborhood. Nico was surprised that the cops hadn’t been called.
He walked up the front steps. People were hanging out on the porch, some drinking, some smoking, a couple was making out on the porch swing. The door was left ajar, which Nico found to be probably a very typical thing of house parties. The front room was loud and full of very drunk students that Nico guessed weren’t all legal drinking age. He pushed through the throng of people, some dancing other just standing around.
He took out his phone and saw that Will had texted him a few minutes prior.
[I’ll be in the kitchen.]
Nico exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He felt his stomach unknot as well.
Will, dressed as a cowboy, was excitedly talking with his friends that Nico recognized as Lou Ellen, dressed as Wonder Woman, and figured the guy wearing the toga was Cecil.
“Howdy,” Will said with a smile, tipping his hat, when he noticed Nico lurking in the doorway.
“Sick zombie makeup.” Cecil offered.
“Thanks.”
Will’s smile just continued to grow. He handed over a cup of questionable red liquid. Nico made a face. “It’s just UV Red and Hawaiian punch.”
“Oh, yum.” He looked down at his cup in horror.
“You’re such a booze snob.”
“I'll just take a beer,” Nico looked over at the different coolers lying around the kitchen. He flipped one open and found a bottle of hard cider. Grateful for something he liked, he plucked it out of the ice.
“How was the bar? Was the band good?” Will asked, genuinely curious.
“Yeah. They're really good. I think Hattie is going to start having more performances. So, keep practicing and I might put in a good word for you.” Nico was only half joking. If Will really wanted to play for a whole night and had a good setlist, Nico could probably convince Hattie to let him play.
He casually leaned against the counter. Lou Ellen and Cecil moved closer to him and Will. No one else was hanging around the room, they'd walk in to grab more drinks and then promptly left.
“That would be pretty cool.” Lou Ellen cut in. “To be able to play at the bar. Their open mic nights are grabbing attention, right? More and more people have been coming in. It'd be a great way to start your exposure.”
Will laughed and turned to face his bright-eyed friend. “My exposure? I don't want to go pro, Lou Ellen.”
“That's a shame, because you totally could. Cecil agrees. That last song you wrote was amazing.”
Nico grinned as he took a sip.
“Have you heard it?” Lou Ellen turned to face Nico.
Nico began to answer, thinking the song was the original song he performed a couple of Tuesdays prior, but Will hastily shouted over everyone.
“No!” He turned to Lou Ellen. With his teeth clenched he uttered out, “No, he has not.”
Nico held back a laugh as he watched Will’s face turn a deep shade of pink. Will grabbed Nico’s hand and led him out of the kitchen, shooting a glare at his two friends as they left the room. He then started to introduce Nico to the other people in the house as they came across them. So many names were thrown at him that Nico couldn’t even keep them straight. Meeting this many new people was uncomfortable but he had resigned himself to this when he accepted a party invite. He had a feeling that Will would be a social butterfly and drag him around to meet others. Quite a few people recognized him from the bar, others brought up he was their TA for so-and-so’s class.
Will stopped walking around when they got back to the living room. The music was still blasting and Will was bobbing along to the beat. A girl in scrubs walked past them. “Are you boys up to date on your shots?”
Will grinned as he saw the tray of jello shots and said, “No, ma’am.”
He happily grabbed at the bright colored jiggling alcohol. She offered the tray to Nico and he declined. Will ate them in rapid succession.
Nico turned his hand nonchalantly and glanced at his watch, 10:46. He had been at the party for over an hour. He was rather proud of himself for staying that long.
Will handed him a jello shot. Nico dumbly looked down at the shot and looked back to Will. His cheeks were flushed red and Nico wasn't sure if it was from the alcohol or the fact he was dancing like a drunk lunatic. Nico loosened the jello from the edge of the plastic cup and tipped the cup back.
---
“I’ve been thinking. And I was wondering, since we’ve been hanging out a lot, and uh…”
“Sleeping together?” Nico offered. He glanced over at Will who suddenly seemed really nervous.
“Yeah. And I really like you.”
“I like you too.” Nico squeezed his hand reassuringly. “Go ahead and ask Will…”
“Oh. Am I being that obvious?”
“Yes.”
“Do I still have to ask?” Nico didn’t answer and just kept walking down the sidewalk. He heard Will groan next to him. “Will you be my boyfr-can we make this is official? I don’t even know how I want to ask this.”
“It’s okay.”
“I know you don’t like relationships but we’ve been consistently seeing each other for the past two weeks and I felt like that that might mean something. If you need more time, I understand. I just don’t know what to call this.”
“You can call me your boyfriend.” Nico grinned.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”