The rainbow seekers guide to seeking rainbows

Nico

Nico put the white earbud in and listened intently to the music, the melodies and harmonies the only sounds in the room.

Well, the only sounds apart from that of Will breathing.

They were close, their legs touching, their heads close so the earphones wouldn't fall out. Will leaned against the couch with his eyes closed, fingers splayed next to his phone which the pale cord emerged from.

Did this mean that Will wasn't mad anymore?

Will's long fingers moved slightly, resting on Nico's thigh, the feeling light like he was being tickled by a feather.

"I've been thinking," he said, eyes still closed, words drawn out slowly. Nico wished he had the ability to see colours for just this moment, even if it was Will's colours or someone else's colours not the colours that most people saw. He wished he were able to see his dear boyfriend in colour, with that added depth.

Nico pressed play on the next song, not knowing what it was but curious to hear.

"I've been thinking," Will repeated, more certainly this time. "What if there was a way for me to describe colour to you?"

Nico froze.

Had Will read his thoughts?

Those fingers began to drum on his thigh, tapping his skin slightly. Nico wished he were wearing pants instead of shorts. Will must've felt him stiffening.

"I mean," he continued, "I can't just say 'imagine a warmer colour'. It doesn't work that way. You can't imagine a colour that you haven't seen before. It's not like you can mix grey and black to make purple or whatever."

Quietly, Nico whispered, "I've always wanted to see a rainbow."

A slow smile melted Will's previously emotionless expression as his fingers began moving to the beat of the song.

When We Were Young, by Adele.

Nico had to admit he hadn't heard it before, although it seemed like Will was quite familiar with the song, given that he had just started humming under his breath. The lyrics seemed to be quite apt, he noticed. Nico wondered if Will had put this song there on purpose, or it was literally one of YouTube's random selections.

He didn't understand how playlists worked.

♫ Let me photograph you in this light

In case this is the last time that we might

Be exactly like we were

Before we realised ♫

Nico sighed. That sounded like a good idea, really. Taking a photo so they could look back on the past, laugh as they remembered the good times, when they were young and carefree...

"I see sepia browns. Nostalgic browns." Nico looked up to see Will, eyes still closed. "Like the edges of old paper, vintage paper. I see newspaper in a fire, the edges curling as they blacken - the yellowy browns of old school photos."

Nico didn't understand what Will was doing.

"Will...?"

He took a deep breath. "I see cirrus clouds, like streaks on a canvas. They are a pastel pink, a light pink, painted by the dusk. The same colour as an orchid, a soft colour. I see a letter, complete with its envelope, brown outlining the black calligraphy, a letter that a grandmother kept from her deceased husband - a letter that she places, with a light pink tulip, on his grave."

Nico closed his eyes, and tried to imagine. What was he doing? What could he possibly gain? Will knew that Nico would be unable to imagine these colours. Was he trying to be mean? No, surely not.