Sacrifices

Our Lives Together

The little bell hung over the door sounded in the small quiet diner, alarming everyone that someone had just entered. Some people didn’t bother to look up from their conversations with other people, or from their food, and others had just because of instinct. 

    Nico di Angelo had just walked into Luke’s Diner, wearing his usual garb, which consisted of black skinny jeans, his aviator jacket, and a black t-shirt with a skull design to match his ring. Most people stared at him for a moment, but glanced away quickly. 

He always scared people, and he hated it. While yes, he usually acts like it doesn’t affect him, he takes it personally. Being the son of a big time business owner is a big deal, and it usually scares a lot of people. They’re always worried he’ll call them out on doing the wrong thing and ruining their lives forever.

Of course, not everyone takes it that way, just most people. He of course has friends, and a boyfriend, but it still makes him a little sad that his list seems to be very short. 

“Nico! Over here!” Someone across the diner called out, bringing said teens attention on them.

Sitting in a comfy booth were two of his best friends, Jason and Leo. He’s been friends with Jason for a very long time, due to being his cousin after all, and since Leo always seemed to be around Jason, it was only acceptable if Nico was friends with him as well. Though he will admit, it had been hard to even talk to Leo, because at first he gave him a ‘holier than thou’ vibe. He hates those people with a passion.

Though after some time, he had gotten used to Leo’s jokes, and even managed to break into some of Leo’s walls. He knows that Leo’s been through a lot, more than anyone should, but it took awhile for him to come to terms with that. 

Nico strolled up to the pair, that had a milkshake in the center of the table, with a blue and white straw facing Jason, and a red and white straw facing Leo, who was seated in the booth across from the blond. He rolled his eyes at the cheesiness, but sat down next to Jason.

“Hey, stranger. How’ve you been?” Leo started, a wide smile on his face as he fiddled with something in his hands underneath the table.

“I’m doing well, thanks for asking Leo. How about you?”

“Well everyone at the orphanage is just same old, same old. We got a new kid the other day. His name’s Harley. Real nice kid, likes to tinker with things just as much as I do.”

“That’s a disaster waiting to happen.” Nico mumbled, loud enough for only Jason and Leo to hear. Jason rolled his eyes at Nico’s comeback, while Leo just continued to smile.

“So, any reason you called us here specifically? And don’t you dare tell me it’s just because you wanted to see us. That is so unlike you.” Jason interfered, slowly scanning Nico, as if he was trying to detect anything unusual about the younger boy.

The younger teen blushed a light shade of pink, coloring his pale cheeks and illuminating the almost invisible freckles he sported. He worked up a lot of courage to ask the pair to meet him at Luke’s Diner, but now he was having a mental debate on backing out of it or not. The reasonable side of his head tried to convince him to just tell them, but his pricking anxiety was worming its way into his mind, its voice becoming louder by the second.

Before he backed out, Nico had managed to whisper “I’m in love with him” before he had firmly shut his mouth, covering it with a hand. He was quite shocked he was able to get that out before he let his mind stray away from the idea.

Jason’s eyes widened, and Leo looked skeptical, while also trying to bite back a smile. 

“What did you just say?” Leo asked, his lips trying- and failing- to stay in a firm line. His voice was dancing with his usual giddiness, and his eyes were gleaming with that usual spark that made him look insane. Nico gulped before answering Leo.