Battle Wounds: Solangelo Soulmate AU

THIRTY-NINE

NICO POV:
"Unless you wanna put a collar on me too?"

He pales and his eyes grow to the size of dinner plates. "Nico," he breathes. "I-"

"I'm sure the leash is still out there, why don't you go get it while you're at it?" I suggest cruelly.

His eyes well up with tears.

"Want me to fetch it for you?" I add, narrowing my eyes more. Bulls eye. The tears fall down his cheeks and he wipes them away quickly, but I don't even care right now.

"Please leave the door open or at least unlocked," Will finally settles on after mulling over what I just said for a while and getting up to leave.

I get up and slam the door after him, shoving the broken fork and rubber bad into the lock and handle to keep it shut. Fuck him.

I lay back down on the bed and let the tears fall. The anger and frustration I had felt for Will just moment before slips into the background as my phone lights up from another text.

Did you enjoy our gifts?

It's the same as the one I got after the collar showed up in the mail, except this time I couldn't bring myself to just block the number and move on.

Who the fuck is this?

I didn't have to wait long before I got reply.

Don't play dumb bitch, you know who this is. We've missed our little play thing.

I feel like I'm gonna throw up what little dinner I had ate. I decide not to respond this time but don't bother blocking the number, they'd just find another to message me at.

I reach over for the glass of water on my bedside table and find it empty. I resist the urge to throw it against the wall and use the shards. I know my arms will be checked at PHP tomorrow anyways, like they are everyday and then I'd be lucky if all that happened was another week of the stupid group. It isn't worth it.

I bury my face in my pillow and try to calm my breathing, though I know the fabric restricting my airflow isn't any help I can't bring myself to move.

I don't know how long I lay there sobbing into my pillow and just trying not to think but it but must have been quite awhile because by the time I hear Will banging on the locked door the moon is already high in the sky.

"Nico open this door!" he yells, sounding slightly frantic.

"Coming," I choke out. My throat is dry and ragged from crying for so long.

I hear Wills sigh of relief when I respond and take my time getting up to unlock the door and open it for him.

"How do you lock this door?" Will asks as I shove the contraption in my pocket.

"Magic," I respond vaguely laying back down, I don't have the energy to continue standing.

I am slightly confused when I don't hear Will say anything else or sit down next to me, but a few minutes later he comes back into the room with a glass of water for me.

"Your throat sounded dry," he explains when I look at him curiously and take the water gratefully.

He continues to stare at me like he wants to say something but I don't try and make it easier for him. Although I realise my anger is misplaced, it's still there from him snapping at me like a dog.

"I-I'm sorry," he finally seems to settle on. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that, I wasn't thinking."

I stare at him blankly, not really sure what to say or even how I feel yet. Rationally I know my anger is incredibly misplaced and Will didn't mean anything callous by his actions, but I still just feel so fucking angry at him. Maybe it's just a filler emotion to help me avoid my real problems at the moment. It's easier to be angry with Will than to be, whatever I feel remembering. . . That. I bite my tongue because I know more cruel things are going to come out of my mouth to push him away when the truth is I really just want him with me right now. I want him to hold me but I'm also mad. It's a very confusing mix of emotions.

"Please say something," he pleads. "I know your probably still furious with me, I would be too."

"Don't ever snap at me again," I finally settle on.

He looks relieved that I at least said something. "I won't I promise, I wasn't really thinking things through. I was just worried and acted before thinking, I'm sorry."

"Hug me before I change my mind," I snap at him.

He only takes a moment to process before smiling and pulling me in for a hug. I can feel my whole body tense up and Will starts to let go but I force myself to hug him back and breath until my body catches up to my mind. I'm safe in Wills arms, my body just forgets that sometimes.

"Does this mean you forgive me?" Will asks cautiously tightening his hold on me as he feels me relax.

"Maybe," I say cheekily. "I'll think about it."

As of on cue my phone dings from another text and Will grabs it for me. He furrows his eyebrows a little and takes a second glance but doesn't seem to actually read anything.

You will text back when we text you bitch. Our deal still stands even if you go to another school.

My throats constricts instinctively, and the phone starts shaking in my hand.

Leave me alone.

I finally manage to respond.

Hazel sure has matured in the past year, so sad you're not around anymore.

Will grabs the phone out of my hands and looks, he pales and looks like he's going to throw up like he did when I showed him the video.

"We need to call the police," he says in an uneven voice.

I snatch my phone back, "No I'll handle it."

"Nico," he says grabbing my wrist hard to make sure he has my attention, a warning in his voice Ive never heard before. I can't help but flinch back slightly.
"I will not let them lay another finger on you."

"I can't let them hurt Hazel," I choke out, trying not to cry. "I'd rather they hurt me than touch her."

His gaze is unwavering, a look of determination so fierce I almost whimper under his gaze and grasp. I'm not used to him touching me this roughly and I can't say I'm a fan of it, but it doesn't bother me since I know his anger isn't directed at me. I trust him.

A realisation that scares me more than the messages.

"They won't touch either of you," he says slowly. "I will not let them hurt you again."

I swallow hard. "I can't go to police, I don't want anyone to know what happened to me."

His eyes soften again. "Nico, you don't need to be embarrassed. It's not your fault."

"I don't care if it's my fault or not, I don't want anyone else to know what happened let alone see the god damn videos."

He runs his thumb over my wrist gently, seeming to finally realise he was gripping on to me much harder than necessary. "I know it's hard, but it's better than them ever touching you again isn't it?"

I look away, not able to look into his eyes any longer. "They'll hurt Hazel." I can feel my lower lip quivering and try to focus on it enough to make it stop, it doesn't.

"They won't touch her, we'll go to police first thing tomorrow morning."

I didn't realise I was crying until Will swiped a thumb under my eyes to wipe away my tears. "Your gonna be okay. We're in this together, okay?"

I nod, "Okay."

"You look exhausted, lets go to bed."

"Stay with me?" I ask, not recognising my own voice.

He smiles at me and lays down under the covers with me . "Of course mi amor."

"That's french," I chuckle as a snuggle into his side.

"Whatever, still a romance language."