(Unedited)

Nico was excited on December 18 as he sat on his sister's living room floor (with his seven other friends) and studied. Because tomorrow, he'd get to see his boyfriend after one long year, thanks to him going to collage in a California. Though he's be back tomorrow and stay til New Years.

And half way through their study session, Will called him and he happily answered, getting up and making his way to the kitchen for privacy.

"Hi, Will," he said, smiling at the counter.

"Nico," he sniffled, and Nico frowned.

"Will? What's wrong?"

"I won't be able to come back for Christmas, Neeks," he said, and Nico felt as if he would start crying too.

"What? Why not?"

"Plane tickets are expensive. Plus the snow you're getting their has all the flights canceled. I'm sorry, Nico."

"What about New Years?" Nico asked, his voice shaky, "you'll be able to get here then, right?"

"Probably not? The money would still be a thing I need." They were both quite for a second, then-

"When will I get to see you again?" Nico asked softly.

"I don't know, Nico. Hopefully soon. I've been working double shifts to try and save up for a ticket, plus the money you sent me. It shouldn't be much longer."

"I miss you," Nico mumbled, trying to keep tears from falling.

"I- I miss you, too," Will said, his voice cracking. Nico took a deep breath, closing his eyes, he couldn't cry in his sister's apartment.

"I've got to go, Will. We can skype later tonight, okay?"

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too. Bye, Sunshine."

"Bye, Neeks." Ending the call, Nico took a couple more deep breaths before going back to the living room where his friends were.

As he entered the room, he felt eyes fall on him.

"Are you okay, Nico?" Hazel asked, frowning.

"Yeah," Nico replies quietly, packing his things into his bag, "Will won't be able to be here for Christmas, and he's not sure if he'll be able to make it for New Years either," he swallowed thickly, "I- I think I'm just going to head home, if that's alright."

"Yeah, of course. See you later." He waved, and made his way down to his car.

Throwing his stuff in the back of his car, he slid into the front seat and put his head down on the steering wheel, tears finally falling. After a moment, he looked up, wipes at his eyes, and started the engine.

———

Nico sighed, dropping his bag beside the door and flopping on the couch, and without realizing it, he fell asleep.

A few hours later, he was shaken awake by Percy and Jason (his two roommates). Stirring, he glared at Percy who was smiling brightly at him.

"What?" He mumbled, burying his face in one of the pillows.

"Percy and I were going to go out for dinner, if you want to come,"

"No thanks, I'm good," Nico mumbled.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked, "why won't Will be able to come here?" Nico sighed into the pillow.

"Tickets are too expensive plus the snow here, the flight Will needs is grounded."

"Are you going to be okay?" He asked again, and Nico didn't answer.

"Right, well we're going. Call one of us if you need to." Nico made some weird sound, and Jason and Percy left. When he heard the door shut, he rolled off the couch and made his way to his room, clicking on skype to call Will. He answered almost immediately, and Nico smiled when he saw Will.

"Hi," Nico started.

"Hey, I miss you." Nico pulled his knees to his legs, then wrapped his arms around himself.

"I miss you, too. And I was so excited to give you your gift, you're going to love it." Will smiled.

"I sent you yours a couple days ago, have you got it yet?"

"Not yet, but I don't think anyone has checked the mail yet."

"Go check," Will insisted, and Nico smiled, nodding as he got up from his chair.

Quickly going down to the main floor of his apartment complex, he opened their little mailbox, seeing a package inside. Smiling wider, he got it and went back up to their apartment.

"It's here," Nico said, holding it up as he sat back down in his chair.

"Open it."

"It's not Christmas, though."

"Open it." He repeated, and Nico laughed.

"Okay, fine," Grabbing a pair a siccors from his desk, he cut the packaging tape from the box, and laughed when he saw another box inside, wrapped neatly in wrapping paper.

"Really," he said, picking up the other box.

"Tearing the paper is the best part, I couldn't just not wrap it." Nico rolled his eyes and ripped the paper, smiling as he saw the box.

"It's a bottle of your cologne," he mumbled, picking up the box and taking the bottle out.

"Yeah," Will sighed, "it may be weird but I'm really missing the way you smell, so I figured. ." He trailed off, and Nico reached over to his bed to get Will's sweatshirt that he kept to himself.

"Your jacket smells like me now, which sucks," he said, pulling the jacket over his head then spraying the cologne on himself. Hugging his knees to his chest again, he took a deep breath and smiled, closing his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Will smiling at him, and he sighed.

"Now I want you here more," he grumbled, putting his head in his legs.

"About that," Will said, looking excited, "a few of my friends here lent me some money, I have enough for a ticket now." Nico looked up quickly, smiling widely.

"Really? That means you will be able to come here for New Years?"

"If the snow lets up, yeah."

"I really hope it does," Nico said, vibrating in excitement.

———

(Nico didn't realize spending Christmas alone would be so upsetting)

———

Nico waited in the airport with a large smile, holding Will's gift in hand even if it was December 28th.

And, when he finally sees the mop of blonde-golden hair in the sea of strangers, he runs over, attacking Will in a hug.

———

Uuuuuuh this was not how I planned it to turn out but hey I finally did a holiday one woo hope you all had a good holiday (or if you don't celebrate anything today) than I hope you had a good day

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