Midnight Coffee (Solangelo AU)

Bowling

After Will had come back with food for us both we started the game. I don't know what you're expecting from this. I'm no good at sports and I have explained that my aim is horrendous. So naturally Will was kicking my ass from the start, and he seemed to be doing it without even trying. "You never told me you were a bowling wizz."

He only laughed at my comment. "You never told me you were so bad it." I slugged him in the arm, and I think I hurt his ego more than his arm, but he still managed to laugh more.

"In all fairness I never expected it to come up." He shrugged and I sent my ball flying down the lane. The ball crashed into the ten pins. Four left standing.

"Well, maybe that's why I never told you I'm actually good at it." I just rolled my eyes and ate some of my nachos. Of course, I hadn't asked him to get me nachos, but somehow he knew that I would like them and their vaguely cheese-flavored chemicals.

"You just wanted to come here to show off your bowling skills didn't you?"

He sipped on his drink rather than actually answering me. He so had. I threw my ball down for the second time and only got down two more pins. Yet right after me, Will got a strike like it was effortless. He won the whole thing, obviously. "You still did really well Nico."

I couldn't stop myself from scoffing at that. "Please, you totally crushed me. If I did well, you did gloriously." He simply laughed and sat down on one of the bar stools and I took the one next to him.

We shared a comfortable silence as we ate before he rested his arm over my shoulders. I instantly felt my jaw, neck, shoulders, back, all of me tense up. Now, understand this, I'm not big on physical touch ever; unless I'm really close with the person, and as much as I like Will, that doesn't mean we're close. Yet he was so casual with it.

This put me in quite a tricky spot. If I made him stop he'd think I didn't like him when that's simply not the case, but if I sit here unmoving any longer it's gonna get strange. Hell, it probably already was strange. "Nico?" I looked over at Will, he seemed... concerned. His arm had moved so his hand was on my shoulder now. I didn't know when that I had happened but I felt myself relax a little. "Is everything alright?"

Should I be honest and straightforward or should I just say it's nothing? "Yeah it's nothing sorry, I'm just not always big on physical stuff you know?" Wow, I couldn't just pick one of them, could I?

He nodded still looking worried about me. He took his hand off my shoulder now and I did feel the tension in my body fizzle out, but at the same time I missed his touch, just a little. "Sorry, I didn't even think about that."

I shook my head and loosely held his hand, which took me slightly by surprise I must admit, me being so bold. "Don't worry about it. You didn't mean to, and it's not like you can always anticipate what a person does and doesn't like." He smiled now and ran his thumb along the back of my hand. It was so small yet so sweet I needed to look away from him lest I risk spontaneous combustion. 

After both of us had finished our food Will insisted on collecting our trash and throwing it out. I can do things for myself, but I think he just wanted to take care of me which would get on my nerves eventually, but for now, it was amazing. After that, we returned our bowling shoes and headed outside. We had been in there for two hours and 12 minutes, so it was officially night outside now. "It's gorgeous out."

Will wasn't wrong, it was a fairly clear night, without many clouds around so the stars and the moon were easy to see and beautiful, but it was also freezing. Early November air always sucked when it was dark out. But Mr.Sunshine over there didn't seem to care meanwhile I had my bomber jacket zipped all the way up. "Aren't you cold?"

He just shrugged and smiled. "I mean yeah a little I guess, why are you?" I looked at him like he'd lost it and nodded since it was obvious.

"Of course I am." He laughed and took off his jean jacket, placing it over my shoulders leaving him in a t-shirt. It smelled like cologne, rain, and summer. Though it was quite warm for denim since it was coming off a human heater. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Though I suppose you need to get going huh?"

"I do have work at 10." He nodded and looked around the parking lot. Aside from what I can only assume were the worker's vehicles, there weren't many cars there this late.

"So where's your car?"

"Oh, I just take the bus everywhere."

He was about to say something then stopped himself and took his keys out of his pocket. "Come on, I'll drive you to your place. Buses suck." And he just started walking to a rather beat-up truck, his truck. He hadn't left me much choice, so I followed him.

He unlocked the truck and I got in on the passenger side feeling a bit odd. I mean I lived in the dorms, and he wasn't coming in with me so it's not like he would know exactly where I live, but it still felt... vulnerable. Like if you let someone have a sentimental piece of jewelry and you have to trust it won't be broken or lost. 

I told him I stayed in the HB dorms and he just started driving. It was silent aside from the radio but the silence was defining in such a small space. "So how come I've never seen this thing at the coffee shop?"

He laughed and shrugged. "It's close to my mom's place so I prefer just walking there. Why do more damage to the planet you know?" I just nodded and now, no longer knowing what to say. 

My arm rested on the center console and I felt his fingers gently touch the back of my hand while his other hand stayed on the wheel. I got the feeling he wanted to hold my hand again so I let him and hid a smile by staring out the window.

After a few minutes, we got to the dorms and I went to get out. Once I had my feet on solid ground again I took off his jacket and tried handing it back to him. "Here you go."

He literally shook his head at me with his stupid infectious smile. "Nah, I'll get it from you next time." I felt myself nod back and close the door to his truck. I just stood there for a little and watched as he drove off.

Next time... there would be a next time.

Hey, guys, gals, and non-binary pals!

This chapter was so much fun to write because it was just so fun to explore their dynamic

And the ending even got to me, had me freaking out so hard over my own writing... I have issues I know

Have a great day/night!