Sequel to 'see you on the other side'. An AU where Nico and Reyna have flouted the rules of the Underworld to find Will Solace. But as they do so, they encounter yet another Will Solace. Still, he's a little different, being a William, rather than a Will. However, Nico doesn't have time to play around. With Reyna's disappearance, Nico's mind can't just be focused on love and romance, though part of his mind will obviously be dedicated to that.
"Everyone thought I'd forget."
Nico sat on his bed, bringing his knees up under his chin.
"But I remembered."
He rubbed his eyes in wonder. Not in curious wonder, but in dark, dark wonder. Reyna was still missing. He had been trying to find her for days without any bit of clue. He sighed.
"I remember. Everything."
The cat nuzzled into Nico's bare chest, prompting him to change into some clothes of decency. Nico gave in, and patted Pollo on the head in his exhausted daze.
"I'm Nico."
Pollo rubbed its head against his shin, dropping a pair of shoes at his feet. Nico stretched his lips into what could've been passed off as a tiny smile, and nodded.
"And I've been having the same dreams for the past few nights."
Nico walked to the front door, and bent down to give Pollo a scratch behind the ears. A curtain of dark hair fell over his eyes, and down his back. It elicited a purr from the feline, as well as a lick on his palm.
"I would be encased in the same darkness."
He closed the door behind him, and Pollo whined softly. He sighed, careful not to drop his bag as he tied up his hair.
"I would see the same trees, the same flowers, the same people."
He entered the lift, keeping his head down. His fingers tingled slightly, and he hid them in his pockets. The lady beside him looked at him warily as black smoke curled gently around his hands. The lady's gaze lingered. Thank the gods his fallen lot of fringe could cover the heat from his cheeks.
"I would feel the same grass at my feet, and the same warm lips on mine."
The doors opened, and he strolled slowly across the old marble tiles, his bag knocking against his shoulder. But it didn't quite make a difference all the same; the bag was empty anyway.
"The same feeling of being let go."
He jogged forward a little. A sore aching feeling ate away at his stomach, and if anything, it was like tiny little hamsters chewing his intestines. He needed his income for the day, else he wanted to remain so small. If that happened, Reyna and Will probably wouldn't be able to recognise him.
"Of being let down."
There used to be school, which he was required to attend without fail everyday. His face always turned to a scowl when he so much as heard this word from a good ten feet away. And now, he did too frown in nothing but regret.
"There were always the occasional flashes of bright sunlight, sometimes the sounds of skates on ice."
He looked forward, fringe obscuring his vision. Glancing at a male from the corner of his eye, he rolled his bag across the floor, saving the spot just as the other man tried to take 'his' place.
"The salty taste of sweat at my tongue, perhaps a hint of sweetness at its tip."
The man cursed, and Nico feigned ignorance. What was the use of flaring up anyway? Words never came to him naturally anymore.
"Foggy pictures of pitch black darkness."
Still, he smiled sweetly as the man left with a bitter look on his face. Yet his sweet smile earned him a pair of pitiful eyes. Being a suck up in this world always helped. Even if it was known as a cheater's way out. That was the thing about society; what they didn't know couldn't hurt them.
"And the horrible stench of abandonment."
Nico paused for a second, and his stomach churned. Then he shook his head, clearing it of thoughts.
Removing his hand from his pocket, his fingers stretched out slightly. A tendril of darkness elongated. Nico's gut twisted and flipped. It hadn't been like that when he first discovered this ability.
Nico swallowed, his pale lower lip trembling slightly. When he first uncovered this beautiful and potentially dangerous power, it was no more than a little spark. Almost as clear as the steam from kettles.
Then it darkened, from clear white vapour, to light grey exhaust from engines, to the dark grey of burning logs, and finally, jet black shadowy wisps.
His control over it was limited. It often appeared at the most random times. Sometimes his eyes lit up at the sight of it, and other times, his breath would pause for just a moment, and his chest would tighten around his ribs.
Now that it came to his mind, he guessed it could help him with greater things.
But those 'greater things' he could do without. Ignorance was bliss, and he knew that best.
Besides, what he really needed was a piano. His hands scrunched up to form a fist, his knuckles turning white. His lungs filled with air, and they cut him with a sharp pain in his diaphragm.
He hoped it meant he was up to it that day. He ducked behind the partition, and imagined the energy in his veins packing itself tightly together to form the instrument.
He could feel the strain on his arm, as his energy drained through the fingertips. Blood was flowing from his lips, but he couldn't feel anything.
By the time he was done, his fingers could hardly stretch apart. A grim look on his face, he grunted as he pushed it out into the open.
He sat on his self-made bench. The world before him spun like he was falling forward into some sort of abyss. His eyes shut from fatigue, but his stomach gave him a hard punch. He blinked, a nauseous feeling pounding in his body.
With determination contorting itself onto his face, he swallowed the bile as it rose up his throat, his eyes showing everything just about ten times brighter.
He rested his hands on the keys. His bag was open, ready for any dirty money, or coins of sympathy. Nausea reared its ugly head once more, but Nico was insistent on continuing.
"I started playing because I loved the instrument, as I did with figure skating. But today, I only do that to feel something among the emptiness."
God that was deep. It must have come from all the mental toil he had undergone. He let his head clear after exhausting himself from forcing out this piano. Also to get rid of thoughts. He blinked away the blotched vision and inhaled deeply.
And with a soft relaxation of his fingers, he began to play, hunger beating away like drum sticks on a drum. The day had only just started.
"I'm Nico. And I remember."
"Everything."
...
02/02/2020
It's February the twenty-second of twenty twenty today.
Sounds like a lucky day to me. I hope something good
comes out of it.
William
Solace
Will awoke to find his professor leaning over him.
Will hit the side of his forehead with the base of his palm. The professor looked at him, and shook her head.
"William. If you don't listen, how do you expect to get a good grade?" Her gaze was empty, and a little disappointed. Excuses that clawed themselves into his brain just dissolved at his tongue.
"I'll try, professor," Will muttered, staring at a foggy image of his professor. She made a little noise at the back of her throat.
She turned her heel, leaving a forced smile in his direction. Will drew out a long breath of air. He never seemed to be able to get a good rest. Ever.
He rested his head on his hands once more, almost drifting off to sleep again. Except this time, two hands slammed down on his table.
He groaned and looked up, coming face to face with his tanned deskmate.
"Aye William! I'm gonna go to the club down the street later with Kayla. Exams are coming soon and the workload is not gonna leave us much time for fun." Will hummed softly to indicate he was still listening.
"Come with us?" Austin shrugged. Will dropped his head onto the desk and gave Austin a thumbs up sign. He could hear Austin heave a sigh of relief.
"Mm. Okay, will do." He mumbled into his elbow.
"Meet in ten minutes?" Will rolled his head over to the side, his blond hair parted just enough for him to see through.
He raised his eyebrows and looked to Austin, giving him a pat on the shoulder.
"Yeah," Will said, putting his weight on Austin's shoulder as he sat up. He stretched out his limbs as he did so. The professor looked at him, her eyebrows tilted downwards at the outside end.
Will put his homework and papers into his bag, and fitted it nicely on his shoulders. As he passed her, he gave his bag a little shake and a light pat.
She nodded, looking at him through her thin-framed glasses. But just before Will could say anything to assure her he would do his homework, Austin wrapped his hand around his neck, and rested his palm on his shoulder.
"You know, you could probably even find some...friends there." Kayla leaned in to say, and laughed, slapping Will's bag. Will took a second to bring his mind back to what he had been talking to them about earlier.
The club.
"Kayla!" Will gave her his best glare. She clamped her mouth shut.
"We're just saying," Austin squeezed his shoulder. "That, you know, you don't seem to like anyone."
Will shrugged Austin's hand off, but he just looped it through his. "And I don't! I don't see a problem with that."
"But-"
Austin came to an abrupt stop as Katie bounced over. "Oh you're going to that new club too?"
Before Will could even answer, Kayla nodded. Katie's eyes lit up. "Travis, Conner and I are going in five minutes. Wanna go together?"
"See what Will thinks." Austin said and looked to Will. Meanwhile, all he could do was watch this play out before his very eyes.
"Yeah i guess. The more the merrier." Will agreed. "And, it's free entry too on top of having extremely cheap drinks."
Kayla immediately released her grip on Will and ambled over to Katie's side.
Will could already see how the night was going to play out. Money on drinks taking up half his savings, homework left undone, same scolding tomorrow.
And at the end of it all? Still single. And definitely not going to mingle.
Illllllllllll
"Hey guys, are you here yet?" Will called in exasperation. He could be sleeping right now. He shook his wrist, and it flickered on to reveal it had been a whole twenty minutes since Austin asked him out.
"Here, Sol!" Austin called out from behind him, his bright and distracting golden hair hastily combed.
"Don't call me Sol," Will said. "Yes yes i know what my last name is, but no." He quickly added as Austin was about to say something.
Kayla moved the bridge of her sunglasses down so Will could see her.
"Kayla, what do you need the sung-you know what? Nevermind." She gave him a smug smile and pushed them back up to cover her eyes.
He waited a few seconds for them to saunter over til he decided he couldn't wait that long and ran to pull them along.
Katie looped her hand through Travis' and marched along with her flashy purple handbag. "Like the bag? Got it from Piper."
"She doesn't know does she?"
"Nope! You know...skill. Besides, the bag is just gorgeous! Piper has awesome taste." She ran a hand over the designer bag with her signature impish grin. Travis just looked at it as his head bounced up and down.
"We haven't even gone anywhere and yet y'all look drunk already." Will gave a resigned look. Austin shook his head slowly.
"Go with the flow, bro. This is why you love us." Will turned to look at Austin and agree but Austin wasn't even looking in his direction. Will rolled his eyes as they continued walking.
A sandy-haired boy walked past, and waved at him. Will waved back. He remembered him from when the principal introduced him as a new student.
He had to be very smart, Will remembered thinking. Few people were allowed into the school mid-term. Unless, of course, they happened to be exceptionally talented or intelligent.
Will also recalled feeling rather validated that this boy, was too, named Will. He was glad a studious schoolmate was named similar to him.
"Hey William." Will(2) smiled. Will wondered how he could even compare to this Will(2). And how he remained so calm under the stress of the upcoming exams.
Will was the kind that didn't study but got relatively above average grades. Sure, if he studied, perhaps then he'd have reached his full potential but he had other things to do.
Kayla brought him back to reality with a slap on the back.
"Hey cuz, what's your ideal type?"
"Uh…" Will pondered, waving faintly at Will(2) as he walked away. "Hopefully shorter than me." Will sighed, not even giving a thought to the seemingly out of the blue question. Kayla raised an eyebrow.
"Jason wasn't shorter than you." Kayla noted with a finger to her chin. Will met her innocent gaze with a sad smile.
"Yeah he wasn't." He nodded. "He was-" Will looked to the sky. "...maybe that's why we just weren't meant to be."
Kayla looked away awkwardly, her elf-like ears reddening like a tomato would when boiling. "Sorry. Forgot about...that." She vaguely gestured. Will just returned it with a shrug. It was clear she had forgotten that they were no longer together. Again.
He looked around. Everyone had fallen silent. Either they had all suddenly become aware of this uncomfortable tension or the Stolls had come up with something.
But his gut told him otherwise. He rubbed the side of his forehead, a wave of fatigue washing over him once more.
"Well, are we going or not?" Will put his hands on his hips, returning to his normal behaviour.
Everyone gave a stiff nod of the head as they continued to walk.
Illllllllllllll
Will squinted his eyes as a ray of purple light shone at him.
Dumb disco ball, he thought, as a dim green one attacked his eyes once more. Raising his hand to shield his vision, he looked to his left and right for his cousins. They stood by his side, their eyes reflecting the bright shiny lights of the club.
As Will waved his hand in front of them, it was like he had lifted whatever spell was on them. In a flash, they went right in.
"Don't go too far," Will called after them. "Last time you ditched me, remember? Hey!"
But they were already pushing and shoving each other, like they had gone back to their preteen years. Kayla took her place on the dance floor, dancing and moving her body to the beat as though no one was watching.
And Austin was...apologising to some girl for something Will at this point didn't even want to know.
With a sigh, he took a seat at one of the nearby tables, watching as other people danced around. Some looked hardly above ten, and others looked like they had five drinks too many.
Cool air blew through his shirt and shorts, giving him a chilly kiss on the cheek. He shifted uncomfortably in the equally cold seat, and pressed his numb lips together.
Then someone from behind tapped his shoulder. He turned around, expecting to see one of his two cousins.
But instead, he saw a teen, way too flushed to be just drunk.
"Hi," the boy said. "Mind if i sit here?"
Will looked around for his cousins. "Uhm…"
"There aren't any other seats." The boy sat down, and Will couldn't really tell him that he didn't quite catch what he said. He acted so sober Will wondered if he had even taken a sip of alcohol.
But, he did look pretty pale. Like something had sucked the life out of his skin. His red lips looked parched, and now Will was convinced he definitely hadn't drunk anything here.
In fact, the boy seemed as though he hadn't drunk anything for days.
"Do you need me to get a drink for you?"
"I'm good." The boy said, so soft Will had to lean in to hear. "Haven't eaten in like...forever." He added mumbling.
He saw the shock register on Will's face before Will could even try to hide it. A tiny, small smile lingered at his lips, and Will guessed he must have gotten that a lot. It wasn't even really so much what he said, but the sugary vanilla sweetness of his tone.
Will didn't even know why he was so shocked. The last time he had been this surprised was when he put a dollar in the vending machine and fifteen drinks came out.
Will opened his mouth to apologise for being so rude, but then suddenly, the lights above him flickered like a bulb short of power.
Except it really was out of power.
It wasn't even two seconds before all the lights were out. Everyone fell into complete and absolute darkness. People screamed from fright, some even laughed seconds later.
Will himself stifled a chuckle. Just something about this seemed so funny to him, and apparently a few others as well.
He quickly soon turned around to look for his cousins, and Katie and the Stolls, but a hand grabbed his.
He turned to see, and for some odd unexplainable reason, the boy was the only one he could see a vague outline of.
Vague outline.
But among that, his cheekbones glowed and his dark brown eyes glinted in the darkness.
Will had now never been so shocked. This could not at all compare to that incident with the vending machine. The boy literally lit up the room like a candle.
"I-"
"Follow me." The boy whispered, and jerked him forward towards him. Will made a little sound at the back of his throat.
The boy guided him through the many tightly packed bodies within the club, and ducked a few times whenever a huge arm swooped down in the darkness.
"Woah-" Will stopped abruptly when he was suddenly pulled to the right.
"You don't have to grip my arm so tight." Will tried to start a light conversation as they took another turn to the left now. His breath hitched in his throat.
The boy didn't reply, and instead, made a sharp turn to a direction Will at this point didn't even know whether it was left or right.
Then they finally stopped. The boy opened the door, the cool breeze of the early evening slapping him hard.
"Well," the boy said, a little breathless. "We're out now."
Will wanted to mention he still had his cousins and classmates in there, but he held his tongue.
So Will just gave a smile of gratitude. "Thanks for bringing me here, i guess." He noticed a trail of sweat running down the boy's neck.
"Um…" Now this took the boy by surprise. It was Will's turn to give the boy a sly smirk. "It wasn't anything, really."
Will still had like ten questions in his mind. How his cheekbones shone, how his eyes gleamed, how he managed to see in the pitch black darkness...His questions just played through in his head like an old film.
The two were silent for just about a minute, but Will decided he'd better do something.
"Wanna, like-i mean, if you aren't busy or...occupied...we could, i don't know. Have some food? Or just a drink if you don't have time?"
The boy considered it quietly. His expression was like he had something planned beforehand, but he nodded anyway.
"Sounds cool."
"Yeah sure. I'm getting kinda hungry now." Will turned to look back at the club once more. He could still hear some incessant laughter, and he hoped his cousins had the mind to know he had left.
"The coffeeshop down the road is pretty good." Will glanced to the boy for approval, and thankfully, he seemed neutral about it.
"Neat."
"Um. Let's go then." The boy started forward, but Will lingered a while, contemplating, then shook his head and hurried after. The boy was like a whole mile in front of him and Will had to jog to catch up.
"Oh yeah. What's your name?" The boy looked at him, his breath coming to a stop in his chest, and the vibrance in his brown eyes faded to grey. But his cheeks were ablaze. His throat tightened, as if pressured to find the answer that got lost on his tongue. And his eyes never once left the floor.
"Nico." He said in a small voice, smaller than even before. But in the cold chilly emptiness of the abandoned path, his voice echoed.
The echoes chilled him to his very bones, yet he was determined to get to know this bo-Nico, better.
"Oh." He replied, dragging it out to lessen the silence.
"What's yours?" Nico asked now, a little colour returning to his eyes.
"Uhm…" Will paused, caught off-guard. "I'm William. But you can just call me Will."
"William." Nico said fondly. "That's a nice name."
"You could just call me Will-"
"William." Nico cut him short. "William." He said once more, the hardness in his voice softened. Nico extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you." Will accepted the handshake, rather taken aback by the strength of his grip. It really did not match his stature.
"Sure, I guess." Will made a face, unsure if he was pronouncing it correctly. "Nico."
Nico just nodded, and Will could only assume he had said it right. Will felt around his pocket. The thought that perhaps he didn't have enough money really made him paranoid. The alley cats eyed him like a hawk.
"My treat?" Will offered, shifting away from one of the cats. Nico's brows furrowed, one side arching upwards.
"You sure?" Now this made Will really doubt his expenses. He felt his pocket once more, and sighed.
"Yep." His voice rose a little higher than he expected. Not that he expected his voice to rise at all. This literally reminded him of his first gig he had gotten in public.
He had tried to reach this high note he had planned but his voice obviously wasn't up to it that day and...he just changed the note last-minute.
Nico shrugged. "Thanks." Wow, Will thought. This definitely wasn't a particularly good conversationalist person. Not that Will was very good at it, just that Nico was...put in plain words, this boy would for sure not be the one to carry on conversations in this friendship.
"Right or left?" Nico said, slicing right through his thoughts.
"Left." Nico nodded and turned round the corner. He tilted his head towards the shop front in question. Will didn't give any form of reply, but ran forward to push the door open in welcome.
"This is the TeaJoint." He introduced. "It used to be run by Marie, but she has since passed, so her daughter Hazel took over."
"Ah." Nico said, appearing to be trying to recall some memory, but he shook his head. "I've never heard of her."
"Well...of course." Will said in doubt. He did not expect Nico to know who she was, but that Nico thought he maybe knew her gave him weird vibes. The alley cats screeched loudly in the background, closing the circle between them steadily
"Well anyway," Will brushed away the thought uncomfortably. "Let's go in."