Beauty is a Flaw {a solangelo fanfic}

Laughable Flaws

Awaking from a comfortable slumber is hard, however waking from a slumber that never really happened is not. Nico had been up all night from the weight of the constant stress in his mind, the worries on what was to come, and the sharp pain from his stomach which was screaming to be fed. He wanted nothing more than to drift into the world of dreams, yet no matter how tired he was, and no matter how droopy his eyes were, he could not. So, regretfully, he dragged himself out of bed and into the shower. When he had turned off the water, and stepped out, he felt, and looked, a little better. There was still a tired looking red tinge to his eyes, and bags were forming underneath them. Better get rid of those, he thought, can't have mother seeing them.

"OUCH!" he yelled when he tripped on a box coming out from the bathroom, gods he really needed to unpack

He picked himself up, grabbed the outfit laying on his nightstand, and walked back into the bathroom. Minutes later he came back out prepared for the torture that awaited him. He had on a black short sleeve top that was underneath a white tank-top, with white and black plade shorts that billowed at the bottom, and black boots with white butterfly's going up the sides, he felt as if he was from the 90's. It was a look he didn't mind though, modern with inspiration from the past, it was poetic in a corny sort of way. He checked his face in the mirror one last time, making sure the bags were gone, then slowly walked down the stairs, trying not to stomp.

"There you are," exasperated his mother came over and messed with his shirt, "you look awful"

"Wow mom," Hazel said from the counter where she sat eating her breakfast, "bet he appreciated that."

"Well it's true." Nico's mom huffed, then made her way over to Hazel no doubt to scold her for sitting "unladylike" on the counter

Nico himself felt exasperated, no shit he looked not his best, he hadn't slept a wink, and the stress was eating him away. He sat down on the couch, immediately opening his back pack to make sure everything was there. He thought about his peers, and about how insufferably annoying they were being. He thought about his sisters, making their ways by themselves. And he thought about Will, he had to get closer to him.

"Hey Neeks," Hazel called to him, jarring him back to reality, "we're about to head out, you gonna eat or what?'

Panic seized Nico, he took a quick glance at his mother. Her Face was so disapproving it was painful. It was clear she didn't want him to. So he simply answered his sister, trying to appear calm, with

"No thanks sis, my stomach's not quite ready for food yet. But I have my protein bars, for later" Giving her a warm smiled he changed the subject, "Hey, where's Lei?"

"She's not feeling well," his mother answered sharply, "i'm taking her to the doctor as soon as I drop you two off at school."

"Yeah, oh, and Nico I might be able to see you today!" His sister stood and faced him, the look of excitement on her face seemed to light up

"Wait, really!" Nico answered, trying to match her enthusiasm. 

"Yep there's some sort of sports lay out, yadayadayada and every class had to be there." Hazel clearly didn't give one care about what was happening, she just seemed happy that she was going to see Nico

And Nico was too, he loved his sister, he just didn't love all of her friends. Hazel had headed out to the car, and Nico was about to join her when his mom grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him back.

"You listen here boy if you don't get your act up soon there will be major punishments. You hear me." She said all of it through clenched teeth.

Nico nodded, trying to bite back his tears that were forming from the fear, and from the pain in his wrist where his mother's nails were digging into his soft skin. He stumbled out of the door, shaking, his mother behind him. He crawled into the back seat, and leaned his head against the window. Not much was said nor done for the entirety of the ride. But when both Nico and Hazel exited the car and began to walk towards the building Nico caught a glimpse of his mother's face, and knew she meant what she said.