uh, this one is kind of terrible you've been warned

------

It hadn't been Nico's idea. He was kind of forced into it.

And it hadn't been Nico's day, either. He had woken up in a pool of his own blood. Will got called into work even though they were supposed to be having a nice day to themselves, relaxing. And he was beyond exhausted, he hadn't gotten any sleep last night, thanks to the annoying, uncomfortable and constant ache in his lower back. Not to mention that he was fighting off some pretty nasty demons that usually showed up this time a month, occasionally other times, and it caused him to avoid any mirror at all cost.

He was glad Will was so understanding when he put the sheet up over the mirror in their bathroom.

Nico was shifting around on the couch when there was a knock at his door, and he heard a lot of voices. With a sigh, he stood up.

It was Hazel. And Frank, Piper, Jason, Annabeth, and Percy. And all five of the children, standing by their respective parents.

Nico frowned, his first thought wondering why they were here, until four of the kids ran into his house, making his eyes widen as he moved out of their way to avoid being trampled.

He looked up the six adults with wide eyes.

Hazel smiled at him innocently, putting her and Frank's year old daughter into his hands.

"Can you watch them?" She asked, Nico frowned as a large baby bag was also shoved into his hands as well, "We're going out tonight, a type of triple date."

Nico's seconded thought: Why weren't Will and I invited?

He quickly shook that from his head, though.

"Hazel-"

"Please?" She said, giving him a look she knew he couldn't say no to. He sighed after a moment, nodded, "Thank you, Nico!" She leaned forward and hugged him, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.

"When do you think you guys will be getting back?" He asked, he really didn't want to babysit, especially not without Will.

"By nine forty at the latest," Piper promised, and Nico frowned, it was six right now.

"If you really don't want to, it's okay. We can find someone else or reschedule." Nico shakes his head and smiles tiredly.

"It's okay," he says, "You guys go have fun," Without me, he thinks bitterly, I don't mind watching you kids for the next three hours and forty minutes. Alone.

They say their goodbyes, then, they're gone. Nico sighs when he turns and see the kids have already made a mess of his and Will's apartment.

----

It's seven thirty when Will gets home, and he most certainly did not expect the sound of kids screeching, feet running around and-

Oh, that was glass breaking.

He walks in the direction of the glass, he hears quick, fearful whisper, and he guesses Nico didn't hear it considering he hasn't come rushing out from- Well, wherever he was.

"Hey," he says, and the kids seem to make a circle around the the glass, but Will can see a flower peeking in front of one of their shoes.

He lets out a sigh. He liked that vase.

"Where's Nico?" He asks, deciding to let the four kids panic a little. Maybe it'll help them learn.

"In the kitchen," Will's ninety nine percent that one is Percy and Annabeth's child. The little girl beside him giggles.

"Cici barfed on him," He knows Cici is Frank and Hazel's, "So she's getting a bath now." Will nods, ruffles one of the boys' hair, then walks off to the kitchen.

Nico's there, the sleeves of his sweater wet as he gently scrubs Cici clean, who's crying and splashing water everywhere. Will smiled, going over and placing a hand on his shoulder. He quickly pulled his hand back, though, and frowned.

"Ew," he wiped his hand on a dish towel, "Is this vomit?"

"Yeah," Nico sighed, trying to wash Cici's arm, but she was fighting against him.

"Why are you wearing a shirt that has vomit on it?" He asked.

"It's Cici's," He defended, "I needed to give her a bath."

"Yeah, but why didn't you change your shirt?"

"I don't know, Will," Nico replied sharply, his brows were furrowed and he was starting to rinse Cici off, "I'm sorry, okay?" Will frowned and put a comforting hand on Nico's waist.

"Neeks, what's wrong?" he asks, and he sees Nico's bottom lip tremble as Cici begins so scream.

"She won't stop crying," he says, "I swear these kids are driving me insane. And they're going to be here for more than two more hours." A tear traces his cheek, and he huffs, wiping it on his clean shoulder. Will's frown deepens and he takes hold of Nico's hands, pulling them away and letting Cici sit in the water, crying.

"Take off your shirt," He demands. Nico sniffles, looking at the open doorway uncertainly, "They're seven, sunshine, they aren't going to notice anything different and they aren't going to care." Nico hesitates, but eventually pulls off the long sleeved shirt. Will sticks a hand out, and Nico gives him his shirt.

"Go take a shower," Will says, tossing the shirt onto the counter, "By the way, the vase with the flowers in it is now broken." Nico pouts, blinking the tears in his eyes away.

"That one is my favorite, though. Mama gave it to me when I got my first apartment," he whines. Will leans forward and presses a quick kiss to his lips.

"Maybe she can find you a new one," he says, "I'll clean it up after I get Cici to calm down, just go relax okay? Take a shower." Nico sighs, then nods. Will gives him another peck before he goes. The kids make a small wall around the vase as he walks by, and he sighs.

He turns the water on and undresses, sighing in content as he steps into the shower. He lets himself relax, telling himself that it's going to be okay and that Will is finally here so he no longer has to deal with five little devils alone.

It's not long, tough, until he hears the creek of the door, indicating that it's opening. He frowns.

"Will?" he calls, but gets no response. He sighs and pushes the curtain back, surprised to see Jeremy pushing the toilet seat up. He looks up, then frowns in confusion.

"I thought you were a boy?" He asks. Nico blushes, grabbing the curtain, and covering himself.

"Will," he shouts, a bit desperately. Jeremy frowns.

"Daddy told me it's not nice to lie," He chides, and Nico frowns.

"I'm not lying," He responds.

"You are a girl, but told everyone you are a boy." Nico's about to respond, but then Will walks in, looking concerned. Nico looks at him with wide eyes.

"Jeremy, what are you doing?" He asks.

"Nico's a girl," he states, turning to look at Will. Nico huffs.

"No he's not, Nico is a boy, I promise," Jeremy shakes his head.

"No, he's lying to you. I saw," he says, then whispers loudly, "He has a chest like a girl's'." Nico sighs and releases the curtain, separating himself from Will and Jeremy. He sits down on the shower floor and listens as he guides Jeremey out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Nico brings his legs to his chest, putting his forehead on his knees and wrapping his arms around his legs. He took a shuddering breath.

He wasn't lying. He wasn't a girl.

Will knocks on the door a few minutes later, and Nico lets him come in. He can hear Will sitting beside the shower, and he shifts so he's looking at the curtain.

"Can I open the curtain," he asks, and Nico hums. Will reaches forward, slowly pushing back the cloth, "Are you okay?" Nico hums again, "I talked to Jeremy," Will said. Nico thanked him quietly.

Will's lips pursed as he looked at Nico.

"I love you, Nico," he says sincerely, and Nico smiles weakly at him.

"I love you, too." Will smiles softly, leaning forward and lightly kissing Nico's forehead.

"I'm going to make sure no one is tearing our apartment up, and make some dinner for everyone. Come out when you're ready, alright?" Nico nods. Will gives Nico another kiss (on the lips this time) then stands up, walking out to the main part of the apartment.

Nico takes a deep breath before he shuts off the water, getting dressed quickly. When he walks out to the living room, where the kids are, Jeremy decides it'd be a good idea to shout 'girly, girly, girly,' at Nico, making Nico frown.

"I'm a male, Jeremy," he says sternly. Jeremy just laughs, shouting girly over and over again. Nico huffs, "Jeremy, please, can you not do this?" Jeremy doesn't stop, and Will comes out of the kitchen, frowning.

"Jeremy-" He covers his ears, shouting louder. One of the Grace's kids laughs and joins him, making his sibling join as well. Then, the last one starts shouting it as well, and they're all laughing as if it's a funny joke. Nico looks up at Will a bit desperately, even Cici, who was previously asleep, is laughing and clapping her chubby little hands together.

Will tries shouting over them, tries telling them to stop, but they won't listen. Nico's shaking, holding back tears as he bites his lip. Will pulls his phone out, dialing Piper's number. Will explains what's happening as soon as she picks up, not that he needs to, really, he's pretty sure she can hear it in the background.

She said they would be over as fast as they could, and then she hung up. He frowned at the kids gathered around Nico's feet, and tried to get them to stop the best he could while they waited for their parents.

------

They didn't let up. Will had shouted, tried to seperate Nico from them, even said the little myths ("If you don't stop, the boogeyman is going to get you!"), but nothing worked. Nico was shaking and Will was kind of surprised he hasn't burst into tears yet, considering they were so obviously there.

Will didn't know how to help and the four of them happily sang out, calling Nico a girl, and he was beyond thankful when there was a knock at the door. Nico hastily grabbed Cici and the baby bag, rushing over to the door and shoving the child to Frank, the bag to Hazel.

The kids followed him to the door, still shouting, and Hazel tried to say something to him but he left before she could. The kids tried to follow Nico back to their room, but when they got called by their parents they stopped.

Piper said a quick apology, to which Will replied with 'They didn't know what they were doing.' They weren't there long, leaving when they heard a small sob from the back of the apartment.

When the door closed, Will walked to where Nico was, wordlessly cuddling next to him where he lie on their bed, and let Nico sob into his chest.

------

oof 

(1872)