even in the silver light

SIX.

warnings:
alcohol, brief implied homophobia

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"Will, I'm so sorry," Kayla says weakly, and Will snorts, looking at her as she covers her face shamefully.

"Kayla. It's fine."

"No-o-o-o..."

"Kayla. It's fine."

She looks at him, dropping her hands and staring, pouting.

"...That was gonna be your first kiss wasn't it?"

He presses his lips together, and she groans loudly, pressing her hands to her face.

He stands, sighing, and raises his arms.

"It's fine," he repeats as she falls into his arms, still covering her face and pretending to sob. "I'll kiss him later."

She wails, and he laughs, wrapping his arms around her and swaying as he rests his chin on her head.

"When are you leaving?" he asks when she finally reciprocates the hug.

"Soon. I'm meeting Dad in Toronto."

"You nervous?"

"Eh." She shrugs. "I've travelled by myself, so not really."

"What about school?"

"Ugh." She buries her face in his shoulder. "I'm not looking forward to it, but..."

"It's your last year, you'll be fine."

"Any advice?"

"Get your work done. Don't procrastinate."

"So the same advice I've ever gotten from anyone. About anything."

"Yeah, pretty much." He chuckles into her hair. "You're gonna do great, don't worry about it."

She sighs heavily.

"I'm gonna miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you too," he murmurs. "I'll see you next summer."

She pulls away and huffs, still pouting.

"You'll text me, right?"

"When I get my phone, yeah."

"And you'll tell me when you kiss your boy, right?"

"...Yes."

"Wonderful."

She jerks on his shirt, tugging him down to press a kiss to his cheek and he wrinkles his nose, patting her back.

"Let Chiron know when you arrive, yeah?"

"Will do." She pats his cheek a little too hard, and he wrinkles his nose again.

"Love you!" he calls when she leaves, and she leans in from the hall, sticking her head into the doorway to say, "Love you too."

He lays his head on his desk when she's gone.

- - -

Will sits on the floor with Nico again, setting his chin on his forearm as it rests across his raised knees. Nico sits right across from him, curled in on himself.

While they talk, Will wants to touch him, wants to comb through his hair, and press his palm to his cheek, and run a fingertip down the bridge of his nose, and curl his finger under his chin to tilt his head up the way he did Will. But Nico keeps his distance, arms wrapped around his legs except to eat.

"You okay?" Will asks after a quiet few seconds, while Nico stares at the ground, his fingers tangled fidgeting between his legs. He looks up at Will, raising his eyebrows, his eyes wide.