"You know, you have a really nice face," Will observed, breaking the silence. His nose was almost brushing Nico's.
"Is that a compliment?" A smile crept upon Nico's lips. His light, rhythmic breaths tickled at his skin.
"Why, yes, it is," the tanned boy confirmed.
"I suppose your face is rather handsome as well," the other boy admitted.
"I know."
"I don't think that's how it works."
"Hmm?" Will lifted an eyebrow, giving him a confused look.
"Well, are you really supposed to say 'I know,' when I'm complimenting you?" Nico gave him a cheeky grin.
Will's blood went cold. Those words, they were so familiar. "I-I..."
"What do you mean, 'I know?' You're supposed to compliment me! Say how beautiful I am! What kind of narcissistic loser replies like that?" Nyssa had stormed.
"I'm sorry, I...I thought you'd take it is a joke."
She slapped him on the mouth. "Shut the fuck up, Will."
He rubbed his hand over his cheek. "Nyssa, I think you need to see a doctor about your...problem. This isn't healthy."
"Excuse me? Did you just say I had a problem?" The cocoa skinned girl spat. "Take off your fucking shirt."
Will obeyed, removing his swim shirt. He knew it was best not to argue.
"Now kiss me," she ordered.
"No, thank you," he responded, instantly regretting it.
She kicked him. Hard. "That's not what you're supposed to say! Love me!" Nyssa hissed, yanking him by his forearm and shoving him against the wall.
Will could see a mix of emotions in her eyes. Sadness, anger, fear, heartbreak. There was another soul trapped in the body of a potentially wonderful girl, but he'd never seen that side of her. She needed a doctor, a real doctor. She needed someone to love, someone to help her.
But Will wasn't that person. He never would be.
He wrestled his arm from her grip, and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Nyssa, stop."
"You can't do anything about it! It's not like you can hit a woman!"
"But a woman can hit a man, and that's okay?" He challenged.
Will blinked, and in the split second of doing so, his world went black.
"Will? Are you okay?" Nico squeezed his hands, bringing the blond back into reality. His eyes were full of concern, wonder.
"It's...nothing," he lied.
"William, there are tears in your eyes. It's obviously not nothing," Nico said calmly. "It's okay, you're okay, I'm okay, everything is fine."
"You stole that line from me," the taller boy pouted.
"You steal lines from me all the time, Solace."
"You got me there," he muttered.
Nico had backed up a bit now, but he was still holding onto his hands, running his thumbs along his palms. "Do you want to talk about what just happened?"
"Uh,-"
The pale boy cut him off. "Never mind. Let's do something else, okay?"
"You're acting weird," Will noted.
"What do you mean?" His grip loosened.
"I don't know... It's usually me who's asking you about this kind of stuff."
"Oh. I'm sorry I care."
"No, I don't mean it like that. It's just, I've been so stressed, so tired, and she-"
Nico put a finger to his lips, which surprised him. This was the second time he'd done it today, not that Will cared or anything.
They sat in an awkward silence, until Nico started to inch towards him. Was he going to kiss him?
His lips brushed against his ear when he whispered, "You promised me we would have ice cream sandwiches."
Will was slightly disappointed at this, but it made him laugh. "There's some in the freezer, Sunshine."
His friend moved back and propped his feet against the wall, so that his arms were dangling off of the side of the bed. "Well, maybe you should go get them."
"I suppose I could do that."
"Then go."
Will stood up. "And what if I don't?"
"Hmm, I don't know."
"Well, I probably shouldn't risk it." He didn't want to say aloud that he was extremely grateful for his friend changing the subject and lightening the mood. He'd never smiled as much as he had been tonight.
Tonight.
On their date.
Will was having a date.
With Nico di Angelo.
An official date.
Wow.
Will couldn't help but think he was the luckiest person in the world.
He'd retrieved two ice cream sandwiches from the miniature freezer, placing one on Nico's chest while he unwrapped his own and sat on the floor, so he could look at the beautiful boy he got to spend his time with.
He was then beginning to realize, that when he pictured himself happy, he was with Nico.
He knew from the second he first saw him, that Nico was special. He'd been a douche bag at first, but still.
"There's ice cream on your nose," Nico noted, interrupting his train of thought. "Deep thoughts while eating ice cream sandwiches, eh?"
"Mm, yeah, I guess." This boy flustered Will, right now more than ever.
He giggled, causing his own ice cream sandwich to fall onto his face. "Well, shit."
"Karma's a bitch, Sunshine."
He removed the ice cream from his face and shoved the rest in his mouth. "Where'd that name come from, anyways?" He asked, mouth full.
"A song," the blond answered simply.
"What kind of song?"
"It's called, 'You are my Sunshine.' My mom used to sing it to me when I was little," he explained.
"How does it go?"
"Let me finish my ice cream first."
"No."
"You're a stubborn little boy, aren't you?"
"Excuse me? Little?"
"You heard me."
"Well-"
Will shushed him and shoved the rest of his ice cream down his throat, much like Nico had. "Happy now?" He sassed once he'd swallowed.
"It's still on your nose!"
"Well, too bad then," Will crossed his arms like a small child.
"I hate you."
"Mmhmm, love you too, Sunshine," Will sassed.
"Are you going to sing to me?"
"There's things I'd rather do," he admitted.
"Like what?" Nico asked, rolling over so he was lying on his stomach.
Kiss you, Will thought. "Hmm, I don't know. What do people usually do on dates?"
"They eat, flirt, talk, do other stuff, and occasionally, they kiss ."
"Kiss, eh? I don't recall any kisses that have happened tonight," he said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Do people normally kiss on the first date?"
Will didn't actually know. He'd never been on a date before, but he still said, "Sometimes."
Nico cleared his throat awkwardly. "I see."
"Do you want to watch the stars?" The blond suddenly asked.
"Can we do that here?" He seemed suspicious.
"I don't know," he admitted, "but what's the worst that could happen?"
"Well, you could get kicked out," Nico pointed out.
"Are you saying you're not worth it?"
He bit his lip, looking away from Will. "I'm not."
"Why is that?"
"Because."
"Because why?" Will pressed.
"I'm not the type of person people fall in love with," he whispered, barely audible. " I'm not worth sacrifices. You know, if there was a book about everyone in the world, I'd definitely be a chapter worth skipping."
The curly haired boy frowned. "Do you really believe that?"
His friend muttered something in Italian that he didn't understand.
"I find it amusing that you were nervous about asking me on a date, like I wouldn't say yes or something," the tanned boy teased, trying to change the subject. "And, of course, that you like me."
"Are you secretly a twelve year old?"
"Ooh, way to dodge an answer," he smirked.
"Shut up."
"Nico has a cruuuush," Will sang.
"On Percy."
He froze. "I-"
Nico rolled over and softly punched him. "You're so gullible, Solace."
"But you don't love Percy anymore, do you?"
"I like blonds who are taller than me and have blue eyes," Nico explained. "Jason Grace."
His face fell again. "Oh."
"Do you really believe this shit?"
"I don't even know anymore," he sighed.
"You're so clueless, Solace."
"Oh, you're kidding?"
"Of course I am."
"Good."
"I got you worried there, didn't I?"
"You did...," Will admitted.
"Why?" Nico asked. "I'm not worth worrying over. You could find better than me."
"Why would I want better?"
"Oh, so you're admitting there's better than me? I mean, I already know there is, but still."
"Oh, Sunshine, you clearly need medical help if you think there's anyone more flawless than you."
"You're a doctor," Nico pointed out. "Well, soon to be doctor."
"Come here then," he ordered.
"Why?"
"Just do it."
"Fine." He slid off the bed and seated himself next to his friend.
"Come a little closer."
Nico obeyed, climbing onto his lap. "Is this close enough for you?"
Will nodded. "I was actually gonna ask you to do that."
"I figured. Now hurry up and get this over with."
He nodded again. Will proceeded to do doctor stuff, without the actual equipment, of course. He felt Nico's heart beat, which was beating so fast, he couldn't even believe it hadn't exploded or something. He then brushed the hair out of his face and felt his forehead, which was freezing. He was always cold.
He asked Nico to take a deep breath, which he did, but then the other boy asked, "What does this cliche check-up shit have anything to do with self acceptance?"
"Your condition is worse than I thought," the blond said worriedly.
Nico gulped, though he was a bit confused. "It is?"
"Uh huh."
"Well, what seems to be the problem?"
"You're very cute," Will explained. "And the only way to make you feel better about yourself is to receive lots of kisses."
Nico grinned. "Is that so?"
"Mm hmm."
"Well, who's going to be giving me those kisses? Mrs. O'Leary?"
"Best results occur if the diagnostician is the one who gives the kisses," he told him.
"What happens if I don't get any?"
"I don't know. Maybe you'll die."
Nico inched closer, tangling his fingers through Will's curly blond hair. "Well, I don't want to risk anything."
~~~
I LAUGHED SO HARD AT YOU GUY'S COMMENTS ON THE LAST CHAPTER'S ENDING, HAHAHA.
3k+ reads?! 560+ votes?! Oh my GOSH, I love you guys so much.
Also, sorry that this chapter is mostly dialogue. Does that bother you guys?
I had something else to say, but I forgot. So, yeah.
HAVE AN AMAZHANG DAY!!!