"Y'know, it's your own fault you're so miserable."
Those words cut Nico deeper than anything ever had.
They had been at a party, and Will was talking about some movie he used to watch over and over. "I love it more than anything, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Just like my boyfriend!" He jabbed Nico, and smiled, and laughed, and expected him to do the same.
He didn't. He just took another sip of his drink and refused to look at anyone.
"Oh, come on, don't brood like that. We're at a party!"
Nico swallowed his punch and forced a smile. "Sorry, I'm just so good at it."
It's not like he'd said anything else. It's not like he thought Will was trying to make him feel like shit about himself.
But that's exactly what happened.
When they got home, Nico decided he wouldn't just forgive and forget. For once, he would tell his boyfriend that he'd misstepped. "... Babe?" He asked. He didn't want to do this, but... "We, um... We need to talk."
"Yeah?" He asks, sitting on the couch. "About what?"
Nico sat next to him, holding his arms stiff. "... Um... What you said tonight. About... Me."
Will looked confused. "I... Said a lot of things about you tonight."
"I mean... When you expected me to laugh, and I didn't. Do you remember? By the punch bowl?"
Something seemed to click behind his eyes. "... Well, what's there to talk about?"
Nico took a deep breath. "That... That hurt." The words felt like acid on his tongue. Why should it matter that it hurt? Why can't he just swallow the pain?
Will stared at him for a while. "Hon... Are you seriously offended that I said you're not for everyone? I thought you already knew that."
Nico stared at him. "... Knew, huh? Not thought, not feared, not felt. Knew."
"... Yeah?"
"So it's true. People really don't like me."
Will scoffed. "Baby, that's not what I said. And even if it was, I still love you. Why isn't that enough?"
"If you really loved me, you wouldn't say things like that." The words slipped out before he could make them more palatable.
Will's eyes widened. "Nico, what the hell? Why are you getting so accusatory? It was just one joke, and now you're spiraling this into 'do you even love me' territory. You really think I was trying to attack you or something?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"Well, you did." Will shut him up. And then... "Y'know, it's your own fault you're so miserable. Constantly telling yourself that everyone secretly hates you, that everyone's out to get you-"
"I'm not trying to say anyone's out to get me! I'm not trying to accuse you of anything, I just... Wanted to tell you that you hurt my feelings." Nico felt his throat catch. "But... You're right. I shouldn't've brought it up."
Will sighed behind him. "It's ok. I forgive you."