Don't Fade Away: A Solangelo Fanfiction 2

Chapter 21: Texas Trip

After 3 weeks of applying ointment, feeling sore, and scabbing, finally Nico and Will's tattoos healed.

It was March now, so the sun was starting to peek out of the clouds a little bit more, and the animals were starting to wake up from their winter hibernation. It was a little warmer out, too, which Nico knew Will was happy about.

Will was waking Nico up like usual, when he told Nico something.

"We're going to Texas!" Will announced.

Nico rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and yawned. "What?"

"Now that our tattoos are healed, I thought it was a good time to visit my mom." He explained. "Well, only if you want to."

"Okay, when are we leaving?"

 Will grinned. "As soon as you get packed!" Will threw a backpack at Nico. "Get ready, and I'll talk to Chiron."

Soon, their car had bolted down the highway and they were headed to Austin.

"So what made you want to take this trip so suddenly?" Nico asked.

"We talked about it before, remember? I was mostly waiting on our tattoos to heal. I've needed to take a trip down there for a while now, especially because I'm not able to Iris-Message her. She's probably so worried about me. I would always IM her once a week, and the last time I did was shortly before technology went out back in September."

"Yeah, it's probably a good idea that we go. It's just...."

Will put his hand on Nico's shoulder. "Just what?"

"I'm a bit nervous, is all. What if she doesn't like me?"

Will laughed. "Oh, she'll like you. I used to rant about you to her when I was younger."

Nico's face reddened. "Well, I guess it's good that I don't have to explain to her why I look like I came out of an emo band."

"Don't be intimidated, okay? She's really nice, she'll love you. And if you're really that nervous, just tell Jules-Albert first. You can practice on him."

"Okay. Hey, Jules-Albert." He got his zombie chauffeur's attention. "Will and I are dating. I'm gay."

He made a couple of grunting and groaning sounds that Nico understood.

"What? How do you know?!"

More noises.

"Okay, that's fair. I guess Will and I do hold hands and kiss in the car sometimes, I didn't know you were watching, though. That's weird."

Jules-Albert made some more noises.

"My dad told you that I'm gay?!" Nico yelled.

Will started laughing.

Nico covered his face. "Well, that's nice to know that my dad likes to tell people. He made it seem like it didn't matter! That he likes guys, too!"

Jules-Albert replied.

"He wanted you to know in case I brought a guy in the car?! What?! I-" Nico slumped in his seat. "Just keep your eyes on the road."

Nico put his headphones in, and drowned out the world with "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," by "Green Day."

Sometime later, Will nudged Nico. Nico pulled off his headphones.

"We're entering Texas." Will told him, with a smile on his face.

Nico looked out the window, and he noticed how different Texas was from New York. It was warmer, and the ground was bumpy, and there were hills everywhere. The air seemed drier.