Sorry it took me so long to update. I'm really lazy, if you can tellllllllll
This chapter will have more Solangelo and cuteness :)
The very first thing Nico did(as soon as Jason was gone) was leap into the nearest shadow and emerge in his apartment. Leo merely glanced at him upon his arrival.
"Leo," Nico gasped. "We've got trouble."
He quickly explained the deal they made with Rachel.
Leo frowned. "You do realize this is your fault, right?"
Nico felt a prickle of shame travel up his spine. "Look, I didn't-"
"You willingly used your powers, in an open space, and look at what happened!"
Nico swallowed hard. "Okay. Bad decision on my part. But we need a way to get rid of the evidence."
"That time has passed, di Angelo!" Leo cried. "You just very well exposed yourselves and two other supers!"
Nico's obsidian eyes hardened. "Remember who you're talking to, Valdez."
But Leo didn't back down. "I'm done answering to you. Thanks for letting me live here, I guess, but I don't need you anymore. Adiós."
Nico could only open and close his mouth mutely as Leo slammed the door behind him.
Nico could only watch as his only friend shunned him.
"Nico?"
"What do you want, Solace."
Will stared concernedly at Nico's splayed form on the black sheets.
"You've been looking upset all day."
"Well I'm not."
Will sighed heavily. "C'mon. You can trust me."
Nico dragged his gaze to meet pale blue eyes. "Sure." His answer was extremely sarcastic, even by his own standards.
Will reached over and grabbed Nico's arm.
The latter tried to jerk away, but Will held him tightly.
"Listen. I can help whatever you're going through."
Nico felt a lump rise in his throat. "I don't need a therapist." Several conflicting emotions were running through his mind, and one ADHD induced thought was that Will's hand was really freaking warm.
Hurt flashed in the blonde's eyes, but Will just frowned deeply. "Get up. We're leaving."
"W-What?"
Will drew back and headed for the door. "Let's go. You obviously need to get something off your mind."
Nico could feel himself becoming more and more susceptible to that faint southern accent.
He reluctantly pulled a new pair of jeans on and wrapped a scarf around his neck. It was green, which seemed to confuse Will, but to Nico it held more importance. It was Bianca's scarf.
"And here I was thinking you were goth or something," Will joked.
"It seems you were mistaken, Sunshine." Nico's throat constricted at the accidental nickname.
Will only smiled wider. "I always am, right Death Boy?"
"Death Boy?" Nico raised an eyebrow. "How original."
Will laughed, a musical sound that Nico shivered pleasantly from. Will swung open the door and and grinned. "After you, Death Boy."
Nico rolled his eyes. "Why thank you, Sunshine." Nico really didn't understand why Will was making him feel so giddy. Maybe it was that annoyin- beautiful smile he was adorning.
Whoa di Angelo. Chill.
Will repeated the action, holding the car door open for him. Nico ducked in quickly to avoid Will seeing him blush.
"So where are we off to?" Will asked offhandedly.
Nico blinked. "Uh, I don't know."
Will snapped his fingers suddenly. "I know the perfect place!" He jammed the keys in the slot and pressed on the gas pedal.
"Slow down, Solace," Nico reminded him. "Don't want to kill us, now do we?"
"Actually," Will said. "I'm going perfectly the speed limit. Did you know that 95% of all road accidents are from speeding?"
"No, I did not," Nico indulged.
"I've had to deal with so many speeding injuries-" Will complained, flipping up his visor to block the setting sun. "-during my shifts at the hospital. Hey, didn't you visit once?"
"Yeah, my friend's girlfriend was admitted, so I came to support them." Not a complete lie, at least.
"Who was it?"
"Uh, Katie Gardener, I think was her name." Nico prayed to any deity out there that Will wouldn't question her injuries.
It seemed luck was on his side, because Will just smiled sympathetically. "I've seen Katie a few times. She doesn't look too good."
Nico wondered when the conversation had taken such a dark turn. "Hey, isn't that the city fountain?"
In the center of a big clearing, a shiny statue of what looked like a phoenix was resting. It's wings were flourished in a magnificent spiral, and marble plumage curled off it's head. It was a nice sight, and Nico could see little grooves where each feather was carved. Out of the phoenix's beak, crystal clear water was trickling into a smooth basin.
"Incredible attention to detail," Nico remarked.
"It'd be even better if it was painted," Will added. "Like, you can see where the red and yellow would go, and I'd like to imagine it's eyes are dark. Not black, just dark. Like yours."
Nico's cheeks heated up, and he suddenly painfully aware of how Will's tousled golden hair reflected the sunset.
"Here we are," the aggravating and confusing blonde announced.
Nico climbed out, and his pupils dilated so fast he saw stars. "Will," he breathed. "You shouldn't have."
Will grinned and patted his shoulder. "I knew you were Italian, so I thought you might appreciate this."
They were standing in front of a restaurant with a huge open sign in front. Up on the roof, in big block letters, were the words,
Garozzo's Italian Restaurant
Nico was hit by a flash of memories, and he knew he had been here before. Not recently, no, but when he was young. Very young; perhaps even before the age of 10.
An enticing aroma wafted out the front, and Nico relished the familiar scent.
"Hungry, are we?" Will chuckled. He neatly entwined their fingers and was so smooth about it, Nico didn't even notice until they were inside.
When he did, anxiety ripped at his chest with sharp claws. He started to feel angry. No one had the right to toy with his emotions. How did Will find out?
But then Will flashed him a blinding, toothy smile, and Nico knew he meant it. His eyes sparkled to point where Nico was beginning to question whether they were really irises, or sapphires embedded in Will's skull.
He was vaguely aware of Will placing a table, but everything seemed muted. The sounds, colors, everything. What was wrong with him?
Will gently tugged his arm, and Nico followed him to a balcony where the brunette waitress smiled graciously at them. He took the seat across from the blonde, and immediately missed the warmth his hand provided.
The balcony supplied a beautiful view of the sea, and the fading colors tracing the sky. The sun had turned a deep red, while orange and purple lit up the clouds.
Will gazed out at the ocean, eyes flitting over the calm waves. Nico found that he quite enjoyed the serene expression on Will's face.
Nico mentally slapped himself. This is mutiny, di Angelo, he scolded his emotions.
But he's really nice to look at! they protested.
Shut up.
But he couldn't help but agree.
The waitress returned, holding two glasses of ice water. "Sei pronto per ordinare, signori?" Are you ready to order, gentlemen?
Will obviously had no idea how to speak Italian, so Nico took over.
"Si, Grazie," Nico replied. "Vorremmo ordinare due piatti di carbonara, per favore." Yes, thank you. We would like to order two plates of carbonara, thank you.
The waitress giggled, seemingly impressed by his fluent speech. "Il tuo ragazzo è molto fortunato ad avere qualcuno con un aspetto come il tuo, dolcezza." Your boyfriend is lucky to have someone with looks like yours, sweetie.
Nico almost choked on the sip he was taking from his drink. "Uh, grazie, ma non è il mio-" Uh, thanks, but he's not my-
But she was already gone, departing with a knowing wink.
"What did she say?" Will questioned. "You look like a tomato."
Nico could feel his blush deepening. "She just wanted to know what we wanted. I ordered carbonara for both of us."
"What's that?"
"It's like-" Nico paused, unsure of how to compare it. "-It's kind of like pasta, but it has a lot of other ingredients. It's good, I promise."
"Oh, I believe you," Will said with complete conviction. "Anything from Italy is bound to be good. I trust your taste."
Nico blushed(for maybe the 6th time that night) and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. His frustration and disappointment at Leo had dwindled, until he barely considered it. Maybe it was better he had gotten out of the apartment.
"So did you grow up in Italy?" Will asked suddenly.
"Um yeah." Nico ran a hand through his hair. "We moved when I was little, so I don't remember much."
"We?"
Nico cleared his throat. "Me and my mom. And..." he hesitated. "My sister Bianca."
"Does she live here?" Will asked eagerly. "Could I meet her?"
"Not if you fancy a trip to the cemetery," Nico muttered.
Will paled. "Oh- I- I didn't- uh-"
"It's fine," Nico intervened. "She died when I was ten, so I've gotten over it."
Will seemed at a loss for words, and Nico was saved from having to make conversation when the waitress returned. She was holding two large plates of carbonara, with parmesan cheese heaped on top.
"Buon appetito," she said, sliding the plates in front of them. "Realizzato appositamente per la coppia felice." Enjoy your meal. Made especially for the happy couple.
"Wait-" Nico started, but she was already walking away. "-non siamo una coppia!" we're not a couple!
Will blinked at him.
"Oh, she said dig in," Nico lied.
Will shrugged and dipped his fork into the noodles.
Nico copied his action, tentatively tasting the food. He didn't have very high expectations, but was very surprised when flavor exploded and washed over his tongue. He knew Will was having a similar reaction, due to the way he was licking his lips hungrily.
As Nico shoved the first bite into his mouth, sweet memories flooded his mind. The sudden image of his mother's smiling face almost made him choke.
"Do you like it?" Will asked quietly, watching him.
Nico swallowed hard. "Y-Yeah. I really like it, actually. It tastes like Italy."
Will laughed. "One would expect that at an Italian restaurant, would they not?"
Gah, how does this stupid blonde make me blush so much? Nico demanded of himself.
He is an good flirt, don't you agree? his inner thoughts chanted back.
Nico twirled his fork expertly, forming a ball of noodles on the prongs. Will watched his movements with interest, and tried to copy it.
The fork slipped out of his hands and clattered to the table.
Nico looked up at him, at the fork, and then back to Will. He was hit by the sudden urge to laugh.
And he started laughing.
Hard.
He was forced the drop his fork and clutch his stomach, and his lips stretched so wide in a smile it felt unnatural.
Will stared at him incredulously before joining in, throwing back his head, chest shaking with giggles.
Nico rubbed his eyes as the bizarre urge faded away. He cleared his throat and fumbled for his fork again.
"I've never heard you laugh," Will commented softly.
Nico blinked hard, as if to check he was still there. "I- I never really find things funny, to be honest."
"Yet you find me funny?" Will waggled his eyebrows. "I must be quite the exception."
Nico rolled his eyes. "It's just your tendency to want to impress people that makes you do funny things."
"Oh, har har."
As the sunlight faded, so did Will's golden tan. Nico's skin almost got brighter, healthier.
The stars were emerging into the inky black sky, twinkling like gems. A cool breeze swept through the balcony, making Will shiver and Nico sigh.
"Everything's better at night, don't you think?" Nico said, observing the deep navy blue waves lapping at the beach.
"I prefer daylight," Will said. "Everything is dull at night."
Nico raised an eyebrow. "I beg to differ."
There was a loud cough from the other side of the balcony, and the boys turned to see an older couple glaring at them.
"What's their problem?" Will muttered.
Nico had an idea, but he wasn't too sure about voicing it.
The woman narrowed her eyes at him and turned sharply around.
"If I could guess," Nico said in a low voice. "They came to the conclusion that we're-" Nico gestured between them.
Will's lips formed a small 'O'. "That's rude," he said. "Homophobia isn't nice."
"And we're not dating," Nico added.
Will gave him a strange look, almost crestfallen, before returning to his food.
Then Will's eyes brightened. "Well they can deal with it, right? Might as well pay them back."
"How?"
"Just talk loudly, laugh, that sort of thing."
Nico sighed. He was convinced they were going to get kicked out for it, but Will's puppy dog face broke down his resolve.
Will had no trouble faking the act of boyfriend, but Nico was struggling. Every time Will winked flirtatiously, Nico felt his insides melt.
"So I was thinking we could clean up the apartment tomorrow," Will suggested. "It's kind of a mess. My side more than yours."
Nico chuckled. "I could barely walk through your trash pile."
"Oh, really?" Will smirked. "Your side is littered with McDonalds wrappers!"
Over Will's shoulder, Nico watched as the couple waved down a waitress. In fact, the same one that had served them.
The woman glanced a couple times back at them, talking in angry tones to the waitress.
Nico caught the words 'disgusting' and 'freaks'.
"I'm sorry ma'am," the waitress said, shaking her head. "I cannot kick them out because they are gay." Her accent was extremely thick.
"Sure you can!" The woman retorted. "They're breaking biological laws!"
The waitress gritted her teeth. "That's for the manager to decide. And I have half a mind to kick you out for your disgusting attitude." She slapped a check on their table and walked away.
Will and Nico watched the exchange in disbelief. The woman shot another nasty look their direction before slipping money onto the check and storming out.
"It's nice to know there are some nice people out there," Nico murmured.
A moment later the waitress returned, holding two plates with desserts on top.
"Oh, uh, we didn't order-"
She cut him off. "Il comportamento di quella donna non andava bene. Questo è a casa, senza alcun costo." That woman's behavior was not okay. This is on the house, no charge.
"Oh, Grazie mille," Nico said quickly. "Apprezziamo il gesto." Thank you very much. We appreciate the gesture.
She put a hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "If I were you, I'd keep that boy. He's a special one."
And she was gone.
Nico looked up at Will, who was wearing a ridiculously happy grin and he regarded the desserts.
"Wow, free of charge? It must be my lucky day!"
Nico, despite himself, smiled back to the sunny blonde who could maybe, just maybe, thaw Nico's cold heart.
If you couldn't tell, I was listening to Bright by Echosmith while writing this.
