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

Won't admit what I already know, I've never been the best at letting go

 Author Notes: Chapter title is from Stay by Zedd and Alessia Cara

***

The next day, Will had lunch with Mitchell in one of the food courts in the Union. They had an hour before their next class, and agreed to have Mexican food for lunch.

"You know what, Will?" Mitchell started as they walked to a vacant table with their trays of food. "Something unusual happened last night."

"Really?" Will said as he took a seat in a chair. Mitchell sat across of him and hummed as he nodded.

"What is it?" Will asked and took a sip of his coke.

"So, Drew Tanaka messaged me on Facebook last night."

Will almost spurted his drink out, but somehow managed to force him swallowing it. Mitchell looked at him with amusement, but he didn't look too surprised with Will's reaction.

"Sorry," Will said then coughed a little.

Mitchell let out a small chuckle, and there was a small smirk on his lips as he stared at Will, propping his chin on one of his hands.

"Uh," Will said, and started fiddle with his plastic forks. "Is it... the same Drew that you said went to the same high school as you?"

"Yep," Mitchell said, giving him a single nod. "She said she met you yesterday. At The Oracle."

"Yeah," Will said with a low voice, looking down at his food.

"And apparently, you and her have... a mutual friend."

It took just a beat too long for Will before he answered.

"Uhm. Yeah. Apparently, so," Will said, pretending he was too busy with his food.

"Will?"

"Hm?"

"Why you never told me about this... Nico guy?"

Will was almost proud of himself that he managed not to choke on his own food. But judging from the way his cheeks felt warmer than usual, maybe he was not really succeeding in trying not to blush.

"I just..." Will paused, stubbornly keeping his eyes on his fork. He sighed. "I just don't think it's something important," he said, and continued eating.

Mitchell hummed.

"But Will," he said. "We're friends. It means that you can talk to me about everything. Important or no, you can always talk to me about everything."

Will looked up from his plate of food. Mitchell was looking at him, sincerity in his eyes. Will could not help to have a small smile.

"Yeah. Thanks, Mitchell," he said.

Mitchell returned his smile.

"Anyway, so," he said, propping his chin on his hand. "So Nico is actually that guy? How did you find out?"

Will didn't even realize that he was grinning when he started telling Mitchell about it.

***

It was Friday night. Friday night. Yet, Will was in the library again. But he was with Nico, so Will didn't really mind. Besides, he had a mid-term on Monday, and he wanted to make sure that he was ready for that.

When Will was trying to read a line in his textbook, he heard Nico chuckled at something. Will lifted his head up from the textbook, finding Nico grinning at the screen of his laptop.

"What are you laughing at?" He asked curiously.

Nico still had a grin on his face when he turned his laptop so he could see the screen.

"Look at those idiots," he said, pushing his laptop closer to Will. The screen is showing a video on YouTube.

Will clicked the button to replay the video, and watched a parody of a music video. At first, he just chuckled, but after a few seconds into that video, he couldn't help but laugh.

He turned the laptop around and pushed it back to Nico.

"I can't believe you're watching this kind of things," he said.

Nico shrugged as he took his laptop, and Will continued reading his book.

"I have nothing else to do anyway," Nico said.

Will lifted his eyes up, arching an eyebrow as he stared at Nico. But Nico had his eyes on the screen of his laptop.

"You're done?" Will asked.

Nico hummed as he nodded, still keeping his eyes on the screen, his finger clicking the mouse.

"Why are you still here, then?"

This time, Nico peeked at Will over the laptop. There was a strange soft tug on Will's chest, and he quickly looked back at the lines in his book.

"Why are you still here?" Nico asked back.

Will chewed his lower lip before he answered. "I... I still want to review this chapter."

He could hear Nico closing his laptop. The next second, Nico pulled Will's book away from him.

"Hey!" Will protested, lifting his head up.

But Nico shook his head as he closed Will's book. "Nope," he said. "Is it for that quiz on Monday? Because I think you've been studying for that one for hours. You need a rest, Solace."

Will sighed. He rubbed his left eye with the heel of his hand. Nico's probably right.

"Come on," Nico said as he took his laptop off the table to slide it in into his backpack. "It's Friday, and the midterm is on Monday, right? You still have time to prepare. You're pushing yourself too hard Will.",

"I'm not," Will protested weakly.

He tried reaching out for his book back. But Nico was quicker, snatching the book from the table before Will's hand had a hold on it.

"Nope," he said, shaking his head. "Rest. Now. You need it," he said, this time in a stern voice.

Will groaned and buried his face in his folded arms on the table.

"Yeah," he said, and lifted his head up. He yawned, and Nico snorted. "Yeah, I think I need a rest."

"Come on, then," Nico said. "It's almost 11 already."

Will rubbed his hands over his face, then started collecting his stuff.

"Do you know what else that you need?" Nico asked.

Will raised one of his brows at Nico as he slid in his notebook into his backpack.

"What?" he said as he zipped his backpack closed.

Nico grinned at him. "Cookies," he said. "You need cookies."

Will chuckled as he slung his backpack on his right shoulder.

"Yeah," he said, and walked to the door where Nico was waiting. "Cookies sound good. Do you want to stop by in CVS to grab some Oreos?"

Nico snorted as he closed the door behind them.

"No, Will," he said. "I am talking about real cookies."

"Real cookies?"

"Have you ever tried Hestia's Cookies?"

***