Light & Dark

Chapter 2

Usually, Nico was too good at getting people to leave him alone. He wasn't counting on the fact that Will Solace was stubborn and persistent.

His second mistake was that he had walked straight into the infirmary. He realised his mistake and tried to leave but Will was blocking the door.

Real smart Nico, he thought to himself. Trying to get away from guy who practically lives in the infirmary. Where do you go? The infirmary.

'Dude,' frowned Will. 'What the Hades? Did I do something to offend you?'

Nico quickly realised that Will wasn't going to let him escape so easily. Crossing his brows in frustration, he fell back onto the nearest bed and glared at the ceiling.

Unfortunately, this only prompted Will to grab a chair and sit uncomfortably close.

'Please leave me alone.'

'First of all, no. I'm your doctor and you definitely need supervision. Secondly, you need to stop doing this whole 'I'm an outcast' act. It's seriously frustrating.'

Nico only glared harder at the ceiling in the hope that the annoying Apollo boy would just disappear.

Will kept going. 'Just like I said before - You're so caught up in self-pity that you push everyone away. Even someone who wants to be your friend!'

It took Nico several seconds to figure out what Will was saying. 'You mean- oh.' His anger relented and was replaced with confusion. 'You- you want to be my friend?'

Will sighed and rolled his eyes. 'Of course I do, you idiot. Why else would I put up with you?'

Nico suddenly felt embarrased. 'You're not going to leave me alone until I tell you the truth, are you?'

'Basically.'

Nico sighed.

'No, you didn't do anything to offend me. It's just- I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I- sort of can't handle it when people act like they actually care about me.'

Will raised an eyebrow. 'Why would that bother you? Isn't that what you want so much?'

'It is, but- no, you're going to scoff at me! I don't need your judging.'

'I won't! Keep going.'

Nico took a deep breath. 'You're right, all I want is for people to care about me. But when they do- I don't know, I guess I'm just so unaccustomed to the feeling that I get scared. And I don't know how to deal with it so I just shut everything out.'

Nico looked up at Will's concerned, doctorly face and felt very awkward.

'Look at me, sitting here, spilling everything to you like a psychologist or something.' He gave a terse laugh.

Will had a strange expression on his face that Nico couldn't quite decipher. 'Please say something,' he asked timidly.

Will cocked his head to the side. 'I don't think I'll ever figure you out, di Angelo.' He got up, relieving them of the tension a little.

'What do you mean?'

'Well, I had you pinned as the attention-seeking goth, you know? I thought your whole, 'no-one likes me' routine was just your little selfish pity party. But whaddya know, you're actually the legit tortured soul type.' Will walked around the room, gesticulating as he spoke. His hands were large but soft and delicate. Healing hands. Good for gently wrappiny bandages but not for holding a bow or sword- why was Nico thinking about his hands? He tried to ignore the random thought and return to their conversation.

'I'm not any 'type' thank you very much,' said Nico indignantly.

'You're my type,' said Will without thinking.