Sun and Star- High School Solangelo AU

Wake Up

Nico POV

Words. That's the first thing he heard when his brain became aware of the scene around him. Now what the actual fuck is going on?  All he could figure was that he got incredibly drunk at a party since his splitting headache was heinous, not to mention the fact that his entire body was in pain. The music had subsided, maybe someone had turned off the record player, but why was it so bright?  Slowly, he opened his eyes, letting them take a moment to adjust to the light before trying to make sense of what he was seeing. 

He didn't recognize anything. The walls were a sterile white with too many cabinets, and what the hell was that gods awful beeping noise? Before he could figure it out, a heavy figure was wrapped around him, squeezing the air out of his lungs. He would recognize the weight anywhere. 

"You're awake," a trembling voice broke through the haze of confusion. His boyfriend. 

His lips parted, but no words came out at first. It took a moment for his voice to find its strength. "Will?" he croaked, his voice hoarse from disuse.

"Yeah, it's me," He replied, pulling back to look at him in the eyes. The familiar shade of blue calmed the panic that was beginning to rise in him.  "You had us worried there for a while."

"Where am I? What happened?" Between the blur of waking up and his pounding headache, his brain didn't seem to be functioning well enough to give him any sense of recollection. 

Will looked away guiltily, a motion that made Nico's insides flop. Before he could ask again, Will spoke slowly, "You were in a car accident. Nico, you've been out for a week"

It was like pulling a trigger. Memories flooded back in fragments, pieces of a puzzle slowly coming together. The accident, the darkness, and then... nothing until now. He felt his heart beat quicken, the beeping noise with it. A hospital, he was in a hospital. As the panic began to consume him, he felt a warm hand lace with his. 

"It's ok, I'm here. You don't have to remember it all, I honestly hope you don't."

"I... I remember," he whispered, his gaze searching Will's face as if confirming that this wasn't just another dream.

A sad smile broke across his boyfriend's face, the only comforting thing he wanted to see "I never gave up on you. None of us did."

Tears welled up in the boy's eyes as the weight of it all hit him. "I'm sorry," he choked out, overcome with emotion "I could've died, I was stupid."

"Don't apologize," Will said softly, wiping away a tear that escaped down Nico's cheek. "I was the stupid one, I never should have come into the gym in the first place."

"Let's just agree it was all Drew's fault." He said evenly. 

"Can you sue her then?" Will asked hopefully, getting a laugh from Nico before he clutched his side in pain. 

"Only if that would make you feel better" He managed through ragged breaths, "But I really want you to know that I wouldn't have let you go. I was ready to fight her had there not been a whole crowd. Does it bother you that I didn't fight for you to stay?"

"No, you were right to leave. I was stupid for even getting close to her." 

"I'm still sorry I left."

"No apologizing, that's my job. You're here now, and that's all that matters." He felt a weight settle on the bed next to him as Will squeezed in next to him and pulled him into a hug. They sat there in silence for a moment, their hands intertwined, and Nico's head laying on his boyfriend's chest. 

"Will?" 

"Yeah, love?" The nickname almost wiped all thoughts from Nico's head, giving him a warm feeling inside. 

"Thank you for waiting for me." 

Will looked down at him, tilting Nico's chin up so the two were looking at each other "I would wait for you as long as it takes, okay? If I had to give up every last piece of my life and essence for the hope of one second with you I would. I would wait for you even if it meant staying in this room alone, feeling the ache of your absence like a phantom limb, because in every moment you are the only air I need to breathe. You are priceless, Nico, and I love you." 

"I love you" Nico echoed. Love, the one thing he never thought he would get, was now laying beside him in a hospital bed, cherishing him for each and every scar on his body. Love, the one thing that was keeping him alive, his lifeline.