Quarantine's been hard on everyone so here's some much-needed fluff to lift your spirits:)

Nico's POV

He wakes to the gentle sound of rain. Running down the glass, dripping off of the overhang, and falling in fat plops to water the flower beds that hang underneath the window. Nico groans, stretches lazily like a cat as Will snores gently next to him. When Nico's body is properly untensed, he glances at Will, still asleep next to him. His mouth is parted and he murmurs something, fingers curling at Nico's shirt sleeve. He rarely gets the chance to sleep in; constantly consumed by either med school classes or the job he works to keep the apartment, he'll leave the house on two hours of sleep, bleary-eyed and chugging his fourth cup of coffee. This Saturday morning, with the rain pouring in torrents down the window, is the first morning he hasn't seen Will rushed or stressed and, as much as Nico wants to get started on his plans to binge-watch tv with his boyfriend, they'll have to wait. For now, he'll let Will sleep. 

Nico spends the first couple minutes of his waking hours on his phone, scrolling through social media and sending a quick text to Hazel assuring her that, yes, he and Will have been remembering to go grocery shopping and, no, they're not sleeping on the floor. Will is still fast asleep, curled up next to Nico with his warm breath blowing in puffs onto Nico's neck. He's beautiful, both awake and asleep, and his skin is warm and soft as Nico traces a finger down Will's shoulder, getting a satisfied sigh in return. 

Nico remembers his first time feeling this, the attraction to Will, the infinite love, like a pit in his stomach that never stops and never really starts, either. It was the most exciting feeling in the world, to know that he was falling in love. Of course, the excitement waned as they grew up, consumed by school and work, and the pressure of adult life that sits on their chests. But ever so often Nico will feel that excitement again, the one that makes him feel young and free, like all he has to worry about is wondering what they're going to watch that day. He feels that childlike excitement when he looks at Will, and he feels himself falling in love all over again. 

He isn't helping either of them just sitting in his bed on Instagram so he rolls out, the sheets rustling as his feet hit the cold floor. He's careful not to disturb Will as he moves, making sure that the duvet still covers Will's body, that the pillow still rests underneath Will's head. Sure, the sheets are warm and smell of pine and sure, Will's skin had been soft against his, but Nico's stomach is grumbling, and he'll have something hot for Will when he wakes up. 

Nico decides on scrambled eggs. Mostly because Will is the cook of the pair, and Nico doesn't know anything else to make. Nico has never loved cooking; he's always found it tedious, and unfulfilling. But there's something about cracking the eggs into the bowl, putting bread into the toaster as he listens to the wind hit the windows that's soothing, and he finds himself humming a tune he hasn't heard in a while. 

He's pouring the egg into the pan when he hears footsteps. Will emerges from the bedroom, bleary eyes and bedhead, with his tee-shirt slipping over his shoulder, revealing the sharp groove of his collarbone and the splash of freckles that start to dot his chest whenever the weather starts to get warm. He rubs his eyes before smiling softly, coming up behind Nico and wrapping his arms around Nico's waist. He kisses Nico's neck as Nico smiles into the eggs, trying to hide the blush that colors his cheeks. "Morning baby," Will says, peppering Nico's neck, cheeks, back, with soft kisses that make butterflies come alive in Nico's stomach. "You're making breakfast? That's a sight I never thought I would see. I didn't know you even knew how to use the stove."

"Shut up," Nico says, the blush coming on stronger. He feels like he did when he was fourteen, going with Will to his first school dance, still(somehow)pre-pubescent and awkward. He doesn't know how he, a college graduate and a working, contributing member of society can still feel like this, as nervous and awkward as a fourteen-year-old boy still grappling with his sexuality. But somehow, Will can perform miracles. 

"I'm gonna make coffee," Will says, unwinding his arms from around Nico's waist. His touch still lingers, though, on Nico's back, pressing into it until they fall away. His steps are still stunted with sleep and he yawns as he pours grounds into the machine, covering his mouth until it's over. He looks younger in the morning light, unburdened by stress and bills and all the things that make him explode. 

His movements are soft with sleep, lazy movements as he pours himself a cup of coffee and heads back over to Nico, where he's labeling generous helpings of scrambled eggs onto their good plates, meaning the ones that aren't made of paper. Will takes his plate from Nico but not before pressing a soft kiss to Nico's face, his smile warm and bright. "Your payment," he says, his voice carrying that sing-songy quality it always does when he's happy. Nico hasn't heard it in a long time, not since Will had started med school. His voice had long since gone flat. "For breakfast." 

"I would have done it for free," Nico says, grinning as he pours himself some coffee. He dumps cream and sugar into it until it's only one-third coffee; he doesn't know how Will can drink it black. "But thank you." 

Their kitchen table is situated by the window, a tiny circle of wood painted in pastels that looks out the window. They can see all of Baltimore from the window, and even though their fifth story apartment is starting to fall apart at the seams, Nico wouldn't trade the view from the window, watching the cars rush by as tiny specks, for the world. Today it's distorted by rain but Nico can still see them, the tiny people with their tiny umbrellas making their way to work underneath the clouds. "You ever think about moving?" Will asks, sipping his coffee as he watches a drop of water roll down their side of the window, a gift from the crack between the window and the wall that doesn't quite close. 

"You mean out of Baltimore?" Nico asks. "I mean, maybe once you're out of med school. But that'll be a while, right?" 

"I mean, not really that," Will says. "Just out of the apartment. It's kinda crappy, you know. And our lease is up in three months." Nico frowns, tipping his head up to the ceiling and watching the water drip, drip, drip. They had bought it right after Nico graduated, when he finally had enough tips for the first month's rent. Two years into med school for Will and it feels like theirs, even the cracks in the ceilings and the wind that whips through the walls. 

"Not really," Nico says. "I mean, I don't know if we'll stay in Baltimore once you've graduated. But for now, this is our place. Even if it kinda sucks." Will smiles into his coffee, his cheeks carrying a light blush that makes his face look alive. "I mean, can you imagine not having to put pots underneath the kitchen ceiling once a month because it leaks from the neighbor's bathroom?" Will laughs. 

"You know, maybe you're right," Will says. "It's ours. I mean, not technically. But kinda, you know? I can't imagine living anywhere else." Nico smiles, looks out the window, and listens to the drip, of rain on glass, as he watches the world move, fractured by the rain, below them. 

They spend their day lazily milling around the apartment, digging snacks out of the cupboards, and flipping through their Netflix suggestions. Nico's head rests on Will's chest as Will runs his fingers through Nico's hair, his touch soft and warm. His entire body is warm, warm like the first day of Spring or fresh baked cookies right out of the oven. Nico nestles into Will's chest, sighing as Will tugs a blanket over their bodies. "You okay?" Will murmurs into Nico's hair, rubbing his back. Nico smiles; it isn't a big question, one people ask a thousand times over the span of a thousand days. But it shows that he cares. 

"Yeah," Nico says. His voice is sleepy but it's been that kind of day. "You?" 

"Yeah," Will says. He holds Nico tighter, strong arms hugging him to his chest, and Nico has never felt safer. 

------

Even though the day has carried a sort of sleepy quality-one of quiet yawns and messy hair, he has a hard time falling asleep. It happens, sometimes, tossing and turning with memories from five, ten, fifteen years ago running through is mind. That time he said here wrong on his first day of seventh grade, spilling food all over his shirt in the cafeteria, getting rejected by Percy, all go through his mind like he's reliving every single one over and over again. He flips, the sheets tangling around his legs as he stares up at the ceiling, the fan spinning lazily overhead. Will inches closer, his arm falling lazily around Nico's waist. "You good?" Will asks softly, kissing Nico's cheek. He's all shadows and soft lines in the darkness but Nico can still see the blue of his eyes, ever bright and shining. 

"Yeah," Nico says, turning to Will with a soft smile. "It's just- I can't sleep, you know?" Will gathers Nico up in his arms, Nico limp like a ragdoll as he lets Will take him. His head is on Will's chest, their legs intertwined, and Nico sighs softly. 

"I know," Will says. "Can I do anything?" Nico shifts in Will's arms, sighing onto Will's chest. 

"Sing to me," he says after a while. His voice is quiet, nearly drowned out by the rain outside. 

"You want me to sing to you?" Will asks. 

"Yeah," Nico says. "Sing to me. Any song you want, I don't care. Just- just sing." Will used to do it all the time. His voice soft, he would take Nico in his arms, sing him any song that came to his mind. When Nico started waiting tables all night it had slowed to a halt but today, with all the time in the world, he just wants to hear Will's voice again, lulling him to sleep. 

When Will starts singing it's quiet at first, his voice shaky and cracking at the high parts. It's been a while since Will sang; he used to, all the time in high school and even a bit in college but med school had consumed his life, taking away any hobbies or activities outside of work and school. But he gets stronger after the first verse, like someone re-learning how to ride a bike. His voice is angelic, high, and sweet and it makes Nico feel as if he's floating, cradled on Will's chest as he sings. 

He's lulled to sleep by the sound of Will's voice, calming his nerves as he drifts off with Will's singing in one ear and the sound of the rain outside in the other. 

Hi guys, I hope this brought a smile to your face in kinda crazy times and I hope you liked it!

Nina