I Like Me Better when I'm With You (COMPLETED)

Is it alright if I come 'round? Is it too late if I come now?

NOTES: Chapter title is from the song Coming Over by Dillon Francis, Kygo, James Hersey

***

Leo was the one who called his name from the counter when Nico's order was ready. Despite the slight strange disappointment, Nico gave Leo a small smile as he grabbed his drink.

He took a sip from the carton cup as he went back to the chair that he was sitting. He checked his phone. The small digital number at the corner of the screen showed that it was barely 5 minutes after 7. He probably should head back to his apartment.

Then he heard an almost melodious laughter that made him lifted his head up, glancing at the counter. A small part of his mind vaguely wondered why that voice was now something almost terrifyingly familiar.

Will was standing behind the counter with Leo. Leo was telling something that made Will laugh, and hit him with the checkered cloth that he was holding. Leo said something else, before walked away and disappeared behind a door.

Nico watched as Will shook his head, an amused smile gracing his lips as he wiped the surface of the counter. Nico was absently thinking about the way Will's hair looked like softly glowing in golden color under the orange light when Will turned his head. Their eyes met, and Nico caught off guard.

Nico's heart skipped a beat.

Will flashed him a small, shy smile, then continued wiping the counter. There was a funny pull in Nico's chest.

He took another sip as he checked his phone again.

Maybe he could stay for just... a little while. Just a couple of minutes.

Besides, maybe today is his lucky day to win that level in Candy Crush.

***

That couple of minutes turned out to be almost an hour.

It was not like Nico did not want to leave or anything. But every time he thought of leaving, there would be a customer coming in, which meant that Will would greet them. A warm voice that would made Nico turned his head to the counter, as Will talking with the customer with that bright smile. Then suddenly he thought, well... maybe he'd stay for just another 5 minutes.

He lifted his cup to take another sip, then he realized that he almost finished his drink. He absently tapped the cup, thinking maybe it was really the time for him to leave the coffee shop. But maybe... Just maybe he could get another drink? Not coffee. Maybe hot chocolate? Surely they hav-

"Bye, Will!"

Nico's head snapped to the counter, and he saw Leo waved at Will. Will waved back at Leo and pushed the swinging panel that separated the counter from the customer area of the coffee shop.

"Bye, Leo!" Will said. He no longer wore the light blue apron, but there was a green backpack on his shoulder now.

Nico decided that yes, it was really time for him to leave.

Not that it was because Will was about to go. He had been here for longer than he expected anyway, so really, it-

"Hey, Nico!"

"Oh, hey," Nico replied, unconsciously grabbing his cup.

Will smiled. "So, you like it?" He asked, gesturing with his chin to the cup that Nico was holding.

Nico nodded. "Yeah. It's really good."

Will's smile got wider. "I know you're going to like it."

"So... uh... You've finished working?" Nico asked, trying his best to sound as nonchalant as possible.

Will gave him a single nod. "Yeah. My shift today ends at 8."

Nico quickly glanced at his phone that was lying on the table. It's almost ten minutes past 8 now.

"Oh, I am also about to go now," Nico stood up. "Want to walk together?"

Nico blinked when he realized what he just said. He cleared his throat and tried to ignore how the back of his neck was heating up.

"I... I mean," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "We're heading the same way, right? Uhm, neighbors?"

How on earth he suddenly became someone who was incompetent in making a sensible sentence???

A surprised expression flashed on Will's eyes.

"Uh..." he said, looking hesitant. "I.. I mean... I'd love to. But I... I need to go to the library now."

Nico's brows furrowed down. "To the library? At this hour?"

"It's not that late yet," Will said, fiddling with the strap of his backpack. "Besides, it's open until midnight. I still have some time to work on some stuff until they close."

"Oh," Nico said. Strangely his stomach felt a bit heavy. "Uhm. Okay."

"Maybe next time?"

Nico chuckled. "Why are you so sure that I will come here again?"

"Well..." Will said. "You are here now. And I mean... who knows..."

Nico could not decide whether Will was really blushing or it was just the light playing tricks on him. Before he could really think about it, Will cleared his throat.

"So... Uhm... Yeah... I... I guess... I'll see you around."

"Yeah," Nico said, trying to ignore the weird disappointment in his stomach. "I'll see you."

"So," Will ran a hand over his head. "Uh. Bye, Nico."

Nico nodded. "Bye, Will."

Will turned on his heels and made his way to the door. He pushed the door open. But before he walked out, he turned his head to Nico, and smiled at him. Nico didn't even realize that his lips were tugging up to return the smile as he waved at Will, rather awkwardly.

Then Will disappeared.

Nico bowed his head down, staring at the tip of his black combat boots.

He sighed. It was really really time to go now. For real. Nico grabbed his cup, and threw it to the bin as he walked out to the door.

***

A few hours later, Nico was lying on his bed, his with his phone on his hand. Nico stared at Will's profile picture on Facebook. Wearing an orange shirt, Will was smiling so bright. Orange was not Nico's favorite color but damn, it looked good on Will Solace. And it was almost ridiculous that even through a frozen picture, his smile could still look so warm like that.

Nico chewed his lower lip again, scrolling down the screen. There was not much information about Will that he put up for public. Just that he was a student at University of Delphi (Nico knew that already. Duh). He is in the pre-med program (Nico didn't know that before). He came from a small town in Tennessee (Oh, so that's where that slight accent come from). And that's all. There were some pictures of him with some other people. Nico recognized Leo in one of the pictures. From the background, Nico could see that the picture was taken in The Oracle. Besides Will and Leo, there was also another tall guy with black hair and green eyes, who had his arms resting comfortably around the shoulder of a blond girl.

Nico scrolled back up. He and Will only had one mutual friend, Jason.

Nico's eyes darted to the small "Add Friend" icon as he chewed his lower lip.

Then he sighed and shook his head. He tapped the home button that brought him back to some pictures and status updates of his friends.

He tapped his screen again until his wallpaper of his phone's main screen showed up. Nico placed his phone on his nightstand and turned off the light.

***

Notes:

 As always, comments and feedbacks are always welcomed :)