Battle Wounds: Solangelo Soulmate AU

ONE HUNDRED AND ONE

WILL POV:
Nico cries when I give him his Christmas gift. That wasn't my intention when I gave him the locket with both his mom's picture and his sisters but it is nice to see him cry for a reason that isn't sadness.

He wraps his arms around me and holds himself to me. "Thank you," he breaths into my ear. "I'll never take it off."

I hold him tightly, "I'm glad you like it."

"Love it," Nico corrects. "It's the best gift someone's ever given me."

"I love you," I grin, kissing the side of his head.

"I love you more."

I tried so hard to make this Christmas special for Nico. We even had a Christmas Eve feast, La Vigilia di Natale, that I had catered from Little Italy. Nico told me a while ago he was going to make our Christmas lunch and dinner so I didn't worry about that, but I did hire a zampognari that's going to come outside the door at 2 pm and play some music for us.

I wanted to try to bring some Italy to America for Nico.

I watch Nico struggle with the clasp for a little before taking it from him.

"Put it on me?" He asks, looking at me with big eyes that I can tell are really frustrated that since his hands are still all wrapped from him burning himself he can't get the clasp himself. He turns around and I clasp it around his neck. He turns back and beams at me. "I love you."

"Open your other gift," I prompt.

Nico has been really struggling with wanting to smoke and drink the past few weeks, but it got really bad after he got the weed for Peter and Eli. I had heard of these vitamin nicotine-free vapes on TikTok and Nico had commented that that sounded like it would actually help when he really wanted some sort of substance. So when Nico started sobbing into my chest one day because he wanted to smoke so bad I ordered them.

Nico opens the card I taped to the top first and reads it silently. More tears start coming to his eyes as he reads.

I know you're really struggling right now with your addiction, and I'm really really proud of you for pushing through. I thought these might help on those days that you want to smoke really bad. I'm proud of you Nico, thank you for trusting me enough to help you through this.

He unwraps the gift and sees the box set of 5 'ripples'. He looks at me and once again launches himself into my lap. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me, you know that?"

I smile, "I love you."

He kisses me passionately, which is why we decided to exchange presents without my Mom around. I wanted to be able to kiss him shamelessly. He moans into my mouth and I smile, causing our teeth to clash a little.

He pulls back and leans his forehead against mine, "My gift doesn't seem nearly as personal anymore."

I laugh, "You could get me a candle with someone else's name on it and I'd still be happy because I got it from you."

"I'm a bit more thoughtful than that," he laughs.

He grabs a long box from under the tree and hands it to me. "I'm shit at wrapping so just ignore how bad it is."

"There's more tape than paper on here," I tease.

"I said ignore it!"

I laugh and start to rip it open, revealing a cardboard box. "A box! Just what I wanted!"

"Shut the fuck up and open the box," Nico says impatiently.

I smile and rip the box open revealing a bunch of tissue paper. I pull up the tissue paper revealing a yellow and black ukulele. It has a sun and moon painted on it and floral designs all around the edges. I pick it up in awe. "It's beautiful," I say.

"You like it?"

I smile, "I love it!"

"You've been saying you wanted to learn how to play," Nico shrugs. "So I commissioned an artist on Instagram to paint it for you. It's supposed to represent you and me."

I smile even wider and set the beautiful thing back in the box and to the side. I pull Nico back to me and start kissing all over his face. "You're the best boyfriend in the world."

He giggles and pushes me off him, "Am not."

As if on cue my mom walks back into the room. "What'd you get each other?"

"Look at this!" I show Mom my new ukulele and she ooos and awes over how beautiful it is.

"Now you have to learn to play," she chides.

NICO POV:

While they talk about the ukulele I open the box of Ripples and pull the sleek white device out. I remember when we saw a video about these on tiktok, and thinking, 'Damn, that would be really nice actaully. That way when I want to smoke I can!' I really didn't think Will would get them, I figured he'd be in the boat of 'it's still a vape' or something. "Do I have to charge them at all?" I ask Will.

He turns and pauses, "I don't know, did it come with a charger?"

I lift the packing and do indeed see a charger as well as 5 flavor pods. "Yeah," I blush a little.

I chose a pink pod and pop it into the top, hoping it came charged but doubting it. I put it between my lips and try to hit it, but of course, it does need to be fucking charged. "Fuck," I curse under my breath.

I get up to find a charging block in my room and plug it in.

I go back downstairs and Will immediately wraps me in another hug. "What's this for?" I ask into his chest.

"Because you're very huggable."

I roll my eyes and snuggle myself into his arms, "Dork."

"Can I help you make lunch?" he asks. "I'll try not to be too much in the way."

I roll my eyes and sigh as if I abhor the idea. "I suppose I'll allow it this once."

"Yay!" he picks me up and spins me around, causing me to latch onto him roughly.

"I didn't say you were king of the world why are you so happy?"

"You pretty much never let me cook with you!" he explains. "I'm excited!"

"Don't make me regret this William," I warn him. "I'm not opposed to throwing you out of the kitchen."

"I won't," he promises.

He absolutely gets in my way but I do my best to pretend he doesn't because it's Christmas.