High Hopes (A Solangelo AU)

Chapter 7

Nico moved gracefully downstairs, light footfalls tapping on the steps as he sped quickly towards the door. A thundering presence was following closely behind. As Nico swung open the double doors of the building and breathed in the fresh night air, Will exhaled loudly behind him.
"I can't believe you just did that to Percy. Savage..." He said in disbelief. "Turns out you do know how to have fun!"
Nico scowled indignantly, anger towards Percy still present in his gaze. "You think that was fun! I've been here a week and Percy has already ruined everything. No, this is ridiculous, I should have gotten a place by myself." Nico started to storm away down the lamp-lit street, but two footsteps were mirroring his own. "And you!" He screamed at Will. "Where do you get off on annoying me? Why are you still here?"

Will's footsteps stopped and his usual jovial smile was replaced with the look of a puppy that had just been kicked. "Sorry." He murmured, pulling at the fabric of his sleeve. "I didn't know that I was bothering you so much." He looked Nico in the eye then, as if his sad demeanor hadn't filled Nico with enough guilt. "I know when I'm not wanted around, I'll leave you alone."

As Will began to turn away from him Nico knew he only had a split second to make a decision- "WAIT!" He cried, reaching for some part of Will to grab onto, "you're not annoying, I'm just a dick. I'm sorry."

Will looked apprehensive. "You sure?" He asked, "because if you don't like me I can go away."

Nico shook his head, "no, no, it's not like that at all. Percy just pissed me off and I'm terrible at making new friends. I swear." He paused. "I really don't want to go back into the apartment...would you like to...go get a bite, maybe?"

The cloud over Will's face immediately lifted, letting the sun shine through once again. Man, this guy is easily cheered up, thought Nico. "That would be great!" said Will, "I know just the place."

The two boys started down the street once again. Nico turned sheepishly to the side to catch a glimpse of Will beside him, "Is this place gonna be some crazy glow-in-the-dark nightclub situation?"

Will laughed and glanced toward Nico, "Nope!"

"EDM concert?"

"Nope, try again."

"Drag show?"

"Nu-uh."

"Mini-putt?"

"Noperino"

"An EDM mini-putt-themed drag show?"

"Now that is something I'd like to see!" Will laughed again.

Nico found himself smirking, "in my defense, you seem a bit like the crazy and adventurous type so I wouldn't put it past you to take me somewhere equally nuts."

Will smiled and looked down at his feet as they strolled along the moonlit sidewalk. "I'm actually not that crazy."

Nico scoffed. "You're a music major, I wouldn't exactly call that sensible."

Will stared at Nico with his mouth open in exaggerated shock. He smacked his hand to his chest, "you wound me," he lamented dramatically. "Music is the most sensible subject anyone could study. No matter what happens in the world, people need music."

"They also need doctors," Nico rebutted firmly, but secretly he was impressed with Will's thought.

Will groaned. "Don't even mention that! Ughhh everyone wants me to be a doctor, especially my dad."

"Why don't you?"

Will shrugged. "I actually always wanted to practice medicine since I was a little kid. But I really don't have the work ethic for something like that. I want to get out and live, ya know? Not have my head shoved in a book for ten years." Now that sounded like Nico's idea of a good time.

"Anyway," said Will, interrupting himself. "We're here! Ta-da!" They had stumbled on a quiet main road lined with businesses and had come up to one that appeared to be tucked in beside two buildings. Will opened the heavy oak door and gestured inside, "After you." Nico stepped in and his eyes widened.

There were books as far as the eye could see. Mismatched bookshelves lined the walls, with volumes and volumes reaching to the ceiling. There were books stacked on tables, stacked on the floor, stacked on chairs. Nico spotted a long bar off to the side behind which a barista was serving someone a coffee. There was also an area with small tables and mismatched chairs, the only area that appeared devoid of piles. Nico turned to Will in amazement. "What is this place?"

Will smiled back, "I thought you might like it. It's a second-hand library café! People donate books so you can buy a drink, have a seat, and read for as long as you like."

Nico had never seen anything like it. "It's amazing."

The two boys headed deeper into the quaint shop, Nico pausing every so often to read the titles on the spines of the books piled in their path. Will ordered an herbal tea, while Nico went for an espresso.

"It's the middle of the night, you're never gonna get to sleep if you drink that," chastised Will.

Nico shrugged in return. "Sleep is for the dead."

As they took a seat at a table tucked around the corner of a bookshelf, Will asked, "so what's your problem with having a good time?"

Nico spluttered into his coffee. "What?! Not this again. I am tons of fun. Loads."

Will raised a questioning brow.

"Okay so maybe I don't like parties, but many fun people don't enjoy parties. It doesn't say much"

Will took a sip of his tea. "You know," he started, "in the laundry room the other night I promised I would teach you to have fun, and I meant it! When's the last time you hung out with someone socially, or did an activity that wasn't school? Or," he hesitated for a moment, "went on a date?"

Nico didn't know how to respond. But the longer he waited to answer the more awkward this situation would become, so he settled for the truth. "Well um...I don't really go on dates...ever."

"There's no special girl that you have your eye on?"

"Uh girls aren't exactly what I'm looking for, if you know what I mean." Nico responded sheepishly.

"Oh," Will looked at him in surprise, "I see." Nico caught a slight smile as he hid his face in his teacup. "In any case, we are going to get you out there."

Nico was starting to get really fed up with the nerve of this guy, even if the guy in question was seemingly smart, attentive, and very nice to look at. No one told Nico what to do. If Will wanted to have fun, they were playing by Nico's rules.

"I have one condition."

"And what is that?" Asked Will.

Nico placed his empty espresso cup on the table. "If I'm letting you teach me how to have so-called 'fun', then in return I get to teach you some work ethic."

Will narrowed his eyes, clearly contemplating. He then threw his hands in the air. "Fine! Let's do it, it's only fair if it's two-sided. Starting tomorrow," Will announced dramatically, "the fun-train is leaving the station! Choo choo!" He said as he pumped his arm like a train conductor.

Nico rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help being amused. "Is it too late to back out?"

Will smiled sweetly back at him, "no take backs."

As Nico found himself unable to look away from Will's upturned lips, he knew suddenly that he was in deep, deep trouble.