Ink and Ashes

#6

*Trigger Warning: Implication of sexual trafficking, Cursing*

Nico's Pov

Nico started going over to Will's place more after that day. He didn't truthfully know why, there was just something about the boy that made him want to spend time with him.

He told himself that it was just for the homework, he wouldn't be passing high school if it weren't for him.

One day, around a week later. Nico was hanging out in Will's room. Will was sitting at the desk doing homework like always, when suddenly there was harsh knocking on the door.

Nico froze. He'd heard a knock like that. Someone was angry.

Will got up looking annoyed and opened the door. On the other side was his mother, looking pissed.

"William Solace. I have told you time and time again you cannot have this door closed! Not when Nico's in there. I have no idea what you boys could be getting up to."

"Sorry mom." Will didn't look very sorry, "Won't happen again."

Naomi glared at him, then said, "Dinners ready." Before walking away.

Will shrugged and turned back into the room, closing the door like his mother hadn't just shouted at him for it. Nico just stared at him in shock.

Will caught sight of Nico's expression.

"What's up?"

Nico just shook his head, "How can you just ignore what your mother says to you like that?"

Will shrugged, "She won't do anything about it. It's not like she's gonna ground me or something."

All Nico could do was stare. If he'd so blatantly disobeyed his father or acted like that, he wouldn't be able to move for the next few days.

"Is something wrong?" Will's concerned voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Umm, no nothing." He turned to look at his phone again.

"Good," Will plopped down on the bed next to him, though he did leave a couple of inches between them, careful not to touch Nico, "Because we have Algebra homework."

"We?" Nico had thought Will would just keep doing his homework, he'd already been doing it for a week, "Do I have too?"

Will just laughed and flipped open the textbook, starting to explain the problems to Nico. He was completely lost.

"Can you read this problem out loud to me while I do the math?" Will asked as he pulled up a piece of paper.

Nico looked down, ashamed, he didn't know how it hadn't come up yet, but Will didn't know about his dyslexia. There was no way he was telling his soulmate that he couldn't read.

"I-I can't." He muttered.

Will gave him a confused look, "What?"

"Nothing, nevermind," He muttered, doing his best to focus on the words on the page, but they just kept flying around.

After a moment Will glanced at him, then read the problem out loud himself.

"Yeah, yeah it's that." Nico muttered.

"Nico? Is everything okay?"

He shrugged, but before Will could question him further they suddenly heard a banging coming from downstairs. Nico jumped.

"What's happening?" Will muttered, then when the banging didn't stop he got up to go check it out.

Suddenly there was a knock at Will's door, Naomi peeked her head in, looking a bit distressed.