Sheets | ✓

SIX

After starting our work, Nico had quickly grown bored, and had left moments after to his room to do God knows what up there. By the time he came down again I had already laid out all the plastic petri dishes and made up the glucose solutions in some cups and measuring utensils I had to find for myself in the unfamiliar kitchen. When I asked him to at least help me place the mung beans into the dishes, he had just given me an incredulous look as he spent the time just scrolling on his phone. 

Maybe Alyssa would've been better, at least I didn't have any expectations for her whatsoever.

"You're the worst," I grumbled as I neatly packed the prepared petri dishes into a cardboard box, careful not to jostle them. Nico's lips quirked up as he glanced up at me from his phone, my cheeks red as I glared at him. 

"Done?" Nico asked, eyes challenging as I let out a frustrated grunt, hands balling into fists. 

"You're so..." I started, before forcing out a gush of air from my lungs, dispelling my anger as I closed my eyes, rubbing the bridge of my nose firmly. "Never mind. Do you have a dark cupboard or wardrobe we can store these in while they sprout? They'll only have to be in there for a week."

"You're storing sprouts," Nico started, raising a brow, "in my house?" 

Pasting a strained, stiff smile on my face I looked at Nico dead in the eye, knuckles white as I gripped the box in my hands. 

"If you had helped me with the project, you would have known that," I said slowly, Nico letting out a deep chuckle as he shrugged, getting off the chair before slipping his phone into his back pocket. I was surprised when he reached over the counter to take the box from my hands, tenderly holding it in one arm as he gestured up the stairs with the other while we walked out of the kitchen.

"We can use my wardrobe, there should be space there," Nico said, my steps faltering behind him. 

"Your wardrobe?" I asked weakly, face paling as we walked up the stairs. "It doesn't have to be your wardrobe. Any dark closet would do."

"Mine is a dark closet," Nico said, smirking a little at my hesitance at the front of his door. "Nervous?" Nico said, voice amused as he opened the door to his bedroom, stepping inside. Turning around, Nico kicked the door open a little wider, the curl of his lips taunting as he looked me in the eye. 

"I'm fine," I replied quickly, hands fisting again as I stepped inside. I bristled as I heard Nico's low chuckle by my ear as I walked past him, the door clicking shut as I moved past. 

Glancing around the room, I realised that nothing much had changed since last Saturday. The walls were still green, the fan still turning weakly in a circle through the air. Posters were still peeling from the walls, his desk was still covered in piles of old paper and books. Clothes were still strewn across the room wildly, but thankfully, mine weren't among the wreckage this time. 

Looking at his bed, I gulped as I noticed the same pale sheets from that day. The same pillows, the same thin blanket half fallen on the floor as Nico probably kicked it off during the humid summer night. My fingers itched to touch the sheets, wrinkled in the shape of Nico's tall form. I felt my mouth go dry as I tore my eyes away from the bed, only to bump my nose against Nico's chest, which was suddenly so close to me. Smoke and the scent of his sweat engulfed me and I hiccuped, startled as I stumbled backwards. The back of my legs hit the frame of his bed, the edge slamming into the bend of my knee sending my legs folding and body falling. Strong hands tried to grip mine as I fell, but my weight ended up dragging them down with me. 

Back hitting the soft mattress, legs dangling off the side, I opened my eyes to find Nico staring down at me with his sparkling blue eyes. His arms trapped my head between them, the dark tattoos on them spiralling up and disappearing under his dark shirt, which hung loosely around his chest, revealing the top of his chest, which rose and fell softly. Dark hair fell down from his face, his legs tangled with mine at the edge of the bed.