Battle Wounds: Solangelo Soulmate AU

SEVENTEEN

A/N: HEAVY themes of abuse and self harm in this chapter. Please be kind to yourself if those might trigger you :) If anyone would like for me to put a chapter summary at the end so you can skip it let me know and I'll add one and do them in the future.

NICO POV:
Will kissed me. And I actually kissed him back. And liked it.

Will drove me home Sunday night at about 8 o'clock. Hazel is at her moms' apartment this week so that meant I was going to have to face my dad all alone. Fan-fucking-tastic.

"I'm home," I announce just loud enough so that if he's in the kitchen he can hear but in any other part of the house he can't. I don't want to deal with him unless I have to.

"It's about fucking time," he growls emerging from around the corner with a new beer in his hand. "I've been waiting for you to get home, you ungrateful piece of shit."

I freeze, I can see the murderous glint in his eyes that tells me I'm about to get my ass handed to me.

"S-Sorry," I stutter not daring to step any closer, "I told you I was spending the weekend at Wills."

He grunts, "Come here."

I crutch over to him as slowly as I can without making it look intentional. "Yes sir?" I ask once I'm within 5 feet of him.

He takes a few steps closer, his cold eyes staring down his nose at me. I can feel myself shaking but can't get myself to stop. My dad is the only person in the world that I'm genuinely terrified of.

Before I can process what he's doing he's kicking the crutches out from underneath me, causing me to fall on my knees in front of him. I don't dare try to stand up or even look up at him unless he tells me to.

"Did you enjoy your fancy ambulance ride?" he says cruelly.

"N-No sir," I gulp.

He kicks me in the ribs but I manage to stay on my hands and knees because I was expecting it.

"How about your little stay at the hospital?" he kicks me again, this time hard enough that I fall over anyway.

"No," I cough up. "I'm sorry, I tried to get them to just let me go home."

He kicks me again, "You've always been more trouble than you're worth."

I don't say anything. He grabs the hood of my sweatshirt and lifts me up so I'm looking at him. He punches me in the gut. "You've always been a little shit!"

The smell of blood and expensive beer stains my senses as I just sit there and let him punch and kick me until he feels satisfied. I could fight back and I'd likly win, despite his size he's still just a drunk old man, but I can't hurt my Dad, no matter how much he hurts me.

He spits on me, "Now go upstairs, and don't think you can play hooky from school just because of a little stab wound."

He walks away towards his study leaving me gasping on the floor. My vision is blurry and everything hurts. I don't think he's beat me this bad since, well it's been a while.

I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket and try to reach it but by the time I get it, the calls are gone. It was from Will, probably covered in bruises and a few cuts trying to figure out what the hell happened. He calls again and this time I answer.

"Hello," I croak bringing the phone to my ear with a grimace.

"Nico!" he exclaims, sounding relieved, "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Fine," I start coughing and try to ignore the taste of blood that fills my mouth. Mrs. O'leary comes back into the room and lays her head in my lap with a soft whimper.