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

I'd rather be your friend than your nothing at all

Autho'r Notes: Chapter title is from the song Thoughts by Michael Carreon

***

Nico stared at his reflection in the mirror as he angled his neck a bit, so he could see the side of his head. He carefully touched the undercut, keeping his eyes on the mirror while doing so.

"Do you like it?"

Nico turned his head to the other side, humming as he watched his own reflection.

"It's...different," he said. "I never had this kind of...thing before," he said, slowly running his fingers over the short hair. He turned his head again so this time he was facing the mirror. Drew gave him the undercut but she left some of Nico's curls on the front to be long enough that it still covered most of his forehead without falling into his eyes.

"The undercut actually showed off your facial features, especially your cheekbones. But with those curls in the front, you can still have that tousled look that you usually have," Drew explained as she raked her fingers through Nico's curls, like she was trying to show Nico how to style it.

"Or, if you want to go to a more formal occasion or you just want to look nice, you can use some gel to go for the slicked-back look. That will work too," Drew said as she started gathering the stuff that she just used to give Nico the haircut.

Nico hummed. He touched the undercut again, absently wondering what Will would think about his new haircut.

"And don't worry. I am pretty sure that your pretty boy would like your new haircut."

Nico froze with his fingers between his curls.

"Did I just say that out loud?" he said, glancing at Drew's reflection.

Drew chuckled and shook her head. "No. But I am a mind reader. That's just how cool I am," she said, smirking as she put her supplies into her canvas bag.

Nico sighed.

"He's not my-"

"I didn't even say any name, Nico. But he is the first one that crossed your mind, right?"

Nico bit his lower, then sighed as he shook his head. He shifted so now he was leaning his back against the door of his closet. In front him, Drew sitting cross-legged now, leaning against Nico's bed.

Nico pulled his knees up and wrapped his arms around them.

"I don't know what to do," Nico said, gazing at the window.

"What do you want to do?" Drew asked him.

Nico snorted at the question. "What I want to do? Lots of things."

"With him, or to him?"

Nico's eyes quickly darted to Drew. "Did you just ask me that?"

"Yes."

Nico rolled his eyes. "Okay. Both."

"Not surprised."

"But that's not the issue here."

"No, it's not," Drew said, checking her perfectly manicured-fingernails. "The issue is how come you know what you want to do but you haven't done it yet?"

Nico stared at Drew. Drew lifted her gaze up from her cherry-colored nails to look at him. She arched an eyebrow at Nico.

"Am I right or am I right?" she asked, quite rhetorically.

"Drew..."

"What holds you back, Nico?"

Nico looked down at the floor. He fiddled with a loose strand of the carpet.