Battle Wounds: Solangelo Soulmate AU

TWELVE

NICO POV:
Of course, just as I was getting a little too comfortable with the idea of spending some time out with Will, he pulls up to the last park I wanna see. Of all the nice parks in the area, he picked the hang-out spot of my previous school, Goode High School. Just pulling into the car park I can spot a few familiar faces, but none that I think will give me any trouble or go running away in terror.

Will must have sensed me tense up because he asks, "Are you alright?"

"Oh yeah, I'm good," I say forcing a smile, I squeeze his hand hoping that will distract him from the fake smile.

"Are you sure? We can go somewhere else, I just like this park 'cause it has a little garden area over there," he points out. I know the area well enough, I used to go there to smoke and shit, but I wasn't going to tell him that. I had a pack of cigarettes hidden in the bushes that might still be there and I'm kinda hoping to be able to snatch them without him noticing.

"No this is perfect," I say, actually meaning it because I was looking into his eyes. I hadn't really noticed before but they are a gorgeous shade of sky blue, with specks of greens and greys in them.

I have to pull my gaze away because I'm getting the urge to kiss him and that is not going to happen. I may be failing at hiding my ever-growing feelings for the boy next to me but that's crossing a personal line of mine. Don't kiss boys you can't walk away from. Not that I've willingly kissed many boys before, but that's beside the point.

True he's my supposed soulmate, but I know that won't stop him from eventually leaving me. I'm honestly surprised he hasn't yet, but there's still a lot about me he hasn't seen yet.

We walk over to the garden area, still holding hands.

"Shit I didn't grab the blanket," he curses, "be right back." he turns and runs back to the car to grab the big blanket he had grabbed to put on the ground.

I take this time to see if my cigarettes are still there, and thankfully they are. I've been dying for a hit of nicotine and I don't have another meeting with my probation officer for another month so I'm not worried about the drug test. I tuck the fags into my inside coat pocket so Will won't notice them.

A few moments later he comes back with the blanket in his arms. "Got it," he smiles. God I love his smile.

Wait what did I just say?

"Good job," I say instead of what I was thinking.

He spreads the blanket out on the ground and sits down. I didn't realize I was standing there staring at him till he patted the ground next to him for me to sit down. I jump a little at the realization and feel the blood rush to my cheeks as I sit down.

"Are you sure you're alright? You seem a little spacey," Will asks with a furrowed brow.

"Yeah, sorry just tired I think." That was a fucking lie. I slept better last night than I have in years probably. Something about sleeping wrapped up in Will's arms kept all the nightmares away that I so frequently got. Not that I would ever tell him that.

"Oh, I'm sorry did you not sleep well last night?" Will asks. I'm suddenly very aware that he has his hand sitting on top of mine because he starts tracing little circles with his thumb on the back of my hand. I hate that I like it.

"No I did, that was the first time I slept that well in a while actually. I'm just always tired," I realize I'm mumbling pretty much everything I'm saying and stare down at my feet. When I finally look back up Will is staring at me with a goofy grin on his face. "Why are you smiling at me like that?" I ask though I'm pretty sure I know.

He chuckles and looks away sheepishly. "Oh nothing," he says rubbing the back of his neck.

"You're weird, I just wanted you to know that," I say sardonically.

"I take that as a compliment," he says reaching into the lunch bag and pulling out two tuna sandwiches and tossing one to me. I stare at it reluctantly, knowing I have to eat at least some of it or I'd never hear the end of it. I unwrap it with embarrassingly shaky hands and take a small bite.

Will is smiling at me again, he must have read my mind and knew I was about to ask why he was smiling at me like that again because he said. "I'm smiling at you 'cause I think that's the first time I've seen you eat something without making a fuss, or staring at it like it's about to bite you for ten minutes."

I shrug, "I know if I don't eat it you're gonna be mad, so. . ."

Wills forehead creases, "When have I ever got mad at you?"

I look away, shrugging again, "I don't know, when I don't eat you get upset with me."

He grabs my hand again and holds it in his, "I get upset, and not at you. It's just because I want you to be healthy. Not because I'm mad, you've never seen me mad because it rarely happens."

I shrug again, personally, I don't see a difference. 'Upset' so easily turned into mad, and mad so easily turned into violence. The two have become the same in my head. Of course, I don't say this out loud because I don't want to make him mad.

I shrug yet again and force another bite into my mouth.

"Nico, look at me," he says. When I don't he gently puts his hand on my cheek and turns my head towards him. I flinch a little when I first see his hand. "I'm never mad at you, or even upset at you. I'm just worried, and I'm sorry if it comes off as being upset with you."

I was surprised at his gentle tone and the fact that even though his hand was still on my jaw he wasn't hitting or pulling my head in painful ways at alarming rates. He slowly moves his hand so that he is cupping my cheek and rubs his thumb under my eye. "I promise, I'm never mad at you."

I lean into his touch and feel the familiar sting behind my eyes, but I force the tears back as hard as I can. Just as I had made my decision and started to lean towards him, staring at his lips, I hear a cold voice come from somewhere behind us.

"Well well well, the little faggots back and he's brought his little boyfriend."

I'd recognize that voice anywhere, Jordan Wunder.