Just a Bit of Coffee

Something?

A/N: Solangelo Week 2k18: Day 4 Prompt - Free Day/AU Day... Using this prompt to make sure I keep that coffee shop au going (-_-;) Sorry it's not the best chapter, but it is a good and realistic conversation  

"So," Cecil sidled up to Will, who was currently studying in the library. "I did some research on your barista babe."

Will definitely felt his cheeks redden, but he still stood in defiance. "I don't have a 'barista babe'. And I think stalking people is illegal, you know."

"Oh please, you act like I didn't see you two interact last week." They hadn't gone back to Descendants' over the weekend; Will only knew for sure that Nico worked on Thursdays. Not that that determined going to the café.

"That was just a casual conversation!" Will kept telling himself that so he wouldn't get is hopes up too high.

"Ah-ah-ah!" Cecil wagged his finger in Will's face. "I have discovered some things about Mr. di Angelo through Lou Ellen. Apparently, the guy doesn't do casual conversation at work. Like, with anyone. Lou Ellen works with him all the time, but they don't small talk or whatever. It's more like she talks, and he grunts."

"Yeah, well," Will tried to come up with some excuse for Nico. "Lou Ellen does talk a lot. Maybe Nico just isn't much of a talker."

"But that's the point!" Cecil exclaimed, eyes wide. "You talked to him. You held a conversation with him. No matter how brief, that's something, at least, according to Lou Ellen."

Will's face twisted into a frown as he thought about this. He didn't want to be too hopeful, he didn't even really know what he was hoping for, but Lou Ellen would know Nico's work behavior. He couldn't deny what Cecil was saying because he didn't really know Nico at all. That was the other weird thing about this. Will didn't usually start liking someone without knowing them, it just didn't make sense to him. But, in that short conversation, he felt like Nico was someone he wanted to know better. He had that sort of intrigue about him.

Even so, Will was still unsure about everything. So what if the conversation was something? Did that mean something to Will? He never believed in love at first sight, not really. But that didn't mean he couldn't pursue someone that piqued his interest. Of course, he hadn't really been seeking out a relationship. His plan had been school for the next however many years, then getting a job, then considering a relationship. But, Will guessed that life had it's own plan, he might as well go with it.

"Do you really think there's something?" Will was almost scared to hear Cecil's answer.

"Will," Cecil put his hand on Will's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "Lou Ellen would never do you wrong. Me, she definitely would, but you? Our ray of sunshine? Never. She wouldn't have told me anything if she didn't think there was something there, for the both of you."

For the first time since Thursday, Will let himself hope for something more with Nico, even if it was just becoming his friend.

"Do you think I should do something?" Will asked Cecil.

"Well, that depends. Do you like him?" Cecil was a clown, but he knew Will and he knew how to help Will process his life. Will was eternally grateful for that.

"Uhm," Will tapped his chin in thought. "I mean, maybe like a crush? It's pretty surface level. You know I can't really like like someone unless I know them personally." Will shrugged. "I just think he's... kinda cute? But I don't know..." Will hated how uncertain he sounded, but he couldn't help it. He was always the indecisive one.

Cecil chuckled. "'Like like'. What are we, in middle school?" He put a hand on Will's shoulder and grinned at him. "Don't sweat it, man. I get that. So, you've got some options. You can either not go to the coffee shop again and ignore Nico if you see him on campus. Why you'd do this, I have no idea. The other option," Cecil emphasized, and Will had the feeling this was really the only option, "is that we just go to the café more often! You'll see him, interact more, maybe find out more about him. And then if you run into him on campus, maybe you guys can hang out like old buddies." Cecil explained it so easily, and Will appreciated how chill and simple he made it sound. It wasn't intimidating or extravagant in any way—Will just had to think of it as intentionally making a new friend.

"Okay," Will nodded, mostly to himself. "Okay, yeah, I can do option 2." He smiled at his best friend. "Thanks for having my back."

"No problemo, my dude. Every time we go to a coffee shop is another opportunity to get you to love coffee." Cecil beamed. There was always an ulterior motive with him.

Will rolled his eyes, as he always did. "I try to be sentimental and you ruin it with your coffee obsession." Will turned his body away from Cecil, back towards his homework he had nearly forgotten about. "Now can we end this discussion? I have homework."

Cecil sighed. "Ooof course you do. When do you not?" Cecil got up out of his seat. "I'll talk with my dear LEB and do more reconnaissance. I'll text you what I find." He made it sound like he was some super spy. Will was sure that's what he thought he was. He decided not to rain on his parade. He was helping Will out after all.