𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄// 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐨 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐔

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑// 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠

Will vomited into the toilet again, fingers clenched on the sides of the bowl.

"Are you going to keep denying you're sick?" Nico asked, crouching down next to him.

"Bite me, di Angelo," Will growled, but it was half-hearted. He was pale, and his hands were starting to shake. 

Nico heaved a sigh at bite me. "Here we go again."

"Shut up."

"You can't go to your meetings like this. You'll make everyone else sick."

"As long as there's no food at these meetings, I'll be fine." Will coughed, then spat into the bowl. "I just can't keep anything down. That's it."

"Why are you saying that like it's normal? Will, for the love of the gods, you're sick." Nico crossed his arms over his chest. "I think your father would understand if you can't attend your meetings due to illness."

Will snorted. "Have you met my father?"

Nico blinked at that, then shook his head. "I'll go get Lee. He'll have something that'll settle your stomach and calm your anxiety."

"Does he have a potion that'll make Jalgan disappear off the face of the earth?" Will mumbled. "That'll help with all of the above."

"I'm afraid not."

"What a shame."

Nico laughed. "I'll go get him. Just stay here, William."

Wil frowned. "When the hell did you start calling me William?"

"When you started calling me di Angelo again." He walked to the door. "What would you prefer I call you, Your Majesty?"

Will was silent for a moment. "That little nickname you gave me."

Nico froze, turning around. "Love?"

"Yeah."

"You like me calling you that?"

Will felt his face redden. "And if I do?"

Nico smiled. "Very well then." He walked out of the room.

Despite the situation, Will managed a small smile.

☀️☀️☀️

Nico jolted awake with a strangled gasp, bolting upright in the bed. Instinctively, he reached across the bed for Will, frowning when he found empty space. Where was he?

"Nico?"

He jumped, whirling around to find Will standing at the foot of the bed. He gave a nervous laugh. "Gods, Will. You startled me."

Will frowned, stepping closer. "Did you have a bad dream?"

Nico frowned; the memory of the dream had already evaporated. "I can't remember it." He studied Will. "Why are you up, anyway?"

"Couldn't sleep. I walked around for a bit."

"Did you take the sleeping draught?"

The prince hesitated. "I'm scared of nightmares."

"The potion makes it so you don't have dreams, actually. You'll be fine."

Will rubbed at his arm. "It's just... I don't want to be vulnerable. Bad things keep happening when I'm asleep-- the attempted kidnapping, the possession..."

"Being awake wouldn't have changed the outcome of those situations, Will. And you can't just not sleep. You need to stay healthy."

"I know." Will sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze distant and dark. "I know." He stared at the wall.