Solangelo 3

Part 24

WILL

I wake to find the cabin empty. I always hate being in Nico's cabin alone, it always feels so consuming. I hurry out, stealing one of Nico's tops after failing to find any of mine. It's black and has some band's logo on it. Not exactly my style.
I find Nico sitting alone at his table, no one else even awake yet. It's the first time I've seen him sit at his table since he came back from the underworld.
'Hey.' I say, sitting opposite him. He looks up, distracted.
'Hi.' He says, 'That's my top.'
'It is. I couldn't find anything else.' I say, 'why didn't you wait for me?'
'Sorry.' He says.
'Nico.' I say, 'I don't care about anyone else. I don't care what anyone else thinks. I love you.'
'I know.' He says. He shakes his head lightly, 'I'm sorry. It's just...I just really wanted them to like me. You're...you're...' He stops and gathers himself before continuing, 'You're the most important thing in my life. And I don't want anything to make you...' He stops again.
'Make me what?' I ask, holding his hands across the table.
'Leave me.' He says simply.
'Nico. I would never.' I say, moving over to his side of the table. I brush his hair out of his eyes, 'You're it for me. There's nothing you could ever do to make me want to leave you.'
'You can't know that.' He says, looking to the floor.
'I swear.' I say, 'I can't speak for you, but I never knew that I could feel like this.' He looks up at me, rests his forehead against mine, 'I'll marry you one day, Nico.' I say, slowly and carefully. I want him to hear me.
He pulls back a little, caught by surprise, 'Will, you don't know that.' He says again, not wanting to hear me. Not wanting to believe me. He still holds my hands. I smile, watching his cheeks burn, his eyes grow wide.
'Are you saying you won't marry me?' I ask, watching him.
'I...I...' He stutters, 'I... would. Of course, I would. But... you can't... you can't be serious.'
'Then listen to me Nico, because I mean it.' I say, 'It's simple: I love you, I need you, and I will marry you one day, if you'll have me.' I look up at him, 'I'm not saying anytime soon. I'm just saying one day.'
'One day.' He echoes.
'One day.' I repeat, 'sound good?' He laughs a little and nods eagerly. I wipe the tears from his cheeks, 'tell you one thing, I didn't think I'd be proposing today.'
'That makes two of us.' He says, still laughing and crying a little.
'Not that that was my proposal. It'll be way more dramatic. I'll probably choreograph a flash mob. Surprise party. Who knows?' I joke, pulling him into a hug.
'Don't you dare.' He says, 'just like that. Next time do it just like that.'
'You promise you'll say yes?' I ask, holding onto him tightly.
'Of course.' He says, 'of course I will. I love you.'
'I love you too.' I say, 'so much.'
'But no flash mob, okay?' He insists.
'Okay, no flash mob. Just the surprise party.'