The Sun Without Stars 2 Solangelo

The Loathing

Nico's POV

Nico was starving--a starving that no amount of waffles could appease.

It wasn't a hunger that began at the stomach, but rather surged through his veins and plagued his thoughts. For right now, though, he would have to settle for those two stale waffles and a stolen piece of sausage.

As he and Will walked, his stomach grumbled in protest at the food he'd ingested, and he felt he might regurgitate it at any second, his body completely rejecting the sustenance.

I'd die from shame if I threw up next to him.

There was no doubt that the boy beside him was withholding information about their friendship, if they could even be regarded as such. He couldn't disregard Will's sideways glances as they made it to the infirmary, the arches that they walked under casting shadows atop them. He was somewhat aware of the way they flickered around him, but paid them no further mind, listening to the steady beat of their two footsteps alongside one another.

It was familiar. Nico needed something familiar when everything else seemed so foreign so he embraced the feeling of Will's fingers brushing against his own as they walked, reveling in their close proximity.

He knew they'd spoken back when they'd gotten breakfast, but even those details were too fuzzy to recount. All he remembered was the hurt look on Will's face after Nico had snapped at him, but the words they'd exchanged were lost in the muddle of his mind, completely unattainable despite how recently it had happened.

He felt like yet another passing spirit whose every groan would be soon forgotten, simply drifting through death, unable to remain grounded for more than a fleeting second.

They entered a large corridor leading to the medical wing where many mattresses on metal frames separated by curtains could be seen from the door. Nico hesitated, his arm slightly tugged by Will whose hand was still holding his own, palm radiating an almost unnatural amount of warmth.

"Don't worry. The injured were brought to a different infirmary. This one is only for student use, but classes are out of session," Will reassured him, assuming that Nico was too timid in the presence of others to enter.

"It's not that. I just need to go to the bathroom," Nico answered dryly, his stomach churning once again as if backing him up.

"Oh, then it's just down the hall," Will responded, pointing with his non-occupied hand.

Nico waited for a few second, to which Will gave him a strange look.

"Are you coming into the stall with me?" Nico asked eventually, gesturing to the hand that still held his own. Will gaped, releasing his grip and turning away as his face flushed pink.

Adorable.

Once Nico entered the bathroom out of sight from Will, he sprinted towards the closest stall, hacking as he vomited, gripping the divider for support.

There goes a perfectly good breakfast.

After he felt the sickness subside, though he now felt utterly winded, he wiped his chin and lips with a paper towel, staring into the mirror above the sink with disgust. Despite the glamorous braids that adorned his curls, hanging stars shining with vigor, they did nothing to distract his ghostly complexion and the rugged scar along his closed eye.

When he realized that he'd left Will for a suspicious length of time, though, he stepped away from the reflection, tempted to turn the other way and walk out of the college campus to save himself the trouble of another awkward encounter.