Midnight Coffee (Solangelo AU)

Bad Boy Supreme

"That's how your date went?" I nodded to Hazel as she sat across from me with two bowls of soup in between us. "You must really be his type if he agreed to go on another date."

"Oh come on." She laughed at me and just shook her head. We were having lunch together and it was just the two of us. It was quite nice to be able to spend time with just her. I love her; I mean, I like our friends, but I mean she's my sister. Though I'd never admit out loud I like her best.

"I'm just saying, it sounds like you were pretty awkward around him." She shrugged and I sank in my seat picking at my fries.

"It's not like you're super stellar at romance or anything. Plus, he loaned me his jean jacket, so that's... something, isn't it?" She pretended to think about it then quickly stole one of my fries off my plate. I tried to hit her hand but I missed her... barely. "Ass."

She laughed at me and talked with her mouthful as though she was raised in a barn. "It is a good thing, but is he expecting it back on a date or when he sees you next? Because let's face it he's probably gonna be at the cafe tonight." Naturally, I had already thought of that outcome.

"Well, he made it sound like it would be on the next date, so I won't bring it to the shop, and if he asks I'll simply say I forgot it. Easy fix." She rolled her eyes at me and had more of her soup.

"Right, lying, what a simple solution."

"Exactly." I smiled at her and it was clear she would have hit me if we weren't in the middle of a restaurant.

"You need better people skills, Nico." I just waved her off. What I needed was better people to practice my people skills on. Our friends aren't a great baseline for how regular people operate.

After finishing our food I fought her over the bill and ended up paying for us both. "Just because you're older doesn't mean you need to pay." I ignored her as any good older brother would. We then went our separate ways. I headed back to my dorm and found Leo in there with Jason and Piper.

"Hello, people who do not live here." Leo didn't even look up from the floor like he knew he'd done something wrong. He had a streak of oil across his cheek and another on his forehead even though my room didn't house any of his projects. Or at least it better not.

"Hey Nico, what's up?" McLean was sitting on my bed reading a book with her hair in Dutch braids.

"What's up is the fact that you guys broke into my dorm... for why?" Jason got up off the floor and adjusted his glasses before dusting himself off.

"Well, Piper lives on the opposite side of campus-"

"With a bunch of other women..." Valdez was muttering to himself while he fidgetted with his sleeves.

"Right..." Jason just continued where he left off. "Anyway, Leo's room is uninhabitable and I have a roommate who is fun, but drunk a lot. Dakota's weird I don't know him that well."

I waited for him to tell me why my dorm was the next choice but he didn't. Apparently, it should have been obvious. "I hate you all."

"We love you too Nico." McLean smiled at me and closed her book. Leo looked me over and shrugged.

"Meh."

"Anyway," Grace gently kicked Leo and Valdez pouted like a child. "We're trying to help Leo feel better and Pipes tells us you work miracles on a hurting heart."

I simply started laughing. "No, no no no. I really don't. But for the love of God please don't tell me Leo Valdez, self-declared 'bad boy supreme' Mr. All the ladies love Leo, needs an ego boost."

Jason looked a little taken aback by my declaration. Leo seemed to be thinking, a dangerous thing, and Piper just nodded to me. "Yeah, he really does Nico."

I scoffed and sat down on the chair at my desk. "Listen, god complex, confidence spilling out the seams, flirtatious Valdez does not need a boost. He needs to be knocked down a peg or four."

Piper seemed to be smirking to herself now. "See Leo? Even Nico only has good things to say about you."

That sly little minx had a weird way of looking at my insults but whatever. Valdez laughed to himself and got up. "Thank you for all the words of encouragement Nico. If you weren't... you I could kiss you right now." I had instantly hidden behind Jason.

"Stay the hell away from me, I don't need none of that from you." They all started laughing now and Jason used me as an armrest.

"You are pretty good at that aren't you?" Jason asked with a smile and I kneed him in the back of his thigh.

"Cram it blondie." He let out a strained laugh and Leo stole my chair.

"So what? You guys are just gonna hang out here?"

Mclean nodded and reopened her book. "That's the plan yeah." I couldn't believe my room had been overtaken by my friends, but it could have been worse. It could have been overtaken by annoying people. Oh wait, it was.

I sat down next to Piper and started doing some homework. The weekend was great for homework, at least it is when you don't have a gaggle of people in your dorm for no reason.

Once I couldn't distract myself with any more homework I decided to ask the question that's been hanging in the back of my mind since I got in here. "So Leo, what happened anyway?"

He looked up from the fidget toy that he made out of a couple screws and bolts. "Well, I'd been chatting with this girl for a few months and I asked the dreaded question, you know, 'what are we?' and instead of just turning me down she told me she had recently got a boyfriend! I mean how colossally screwed up is that?"

I didn't think it was that screwed up. He asked, and she told him why they weren't and couldn't be together. "Well, I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt you. And I mean you're labeling her a bitch but if things were reversed most people would call you a player or a heartbreaker and mean it as a compliment."

Piper raised a brow and smiled. "Well look at the little feminist over here. But I mean Leo, you're just hurt right now soon you'll be back to normal and you won't spare Calypso a second thought."

"Wait isn't she the girl that came to that one football game a while back?" Leo nodded a bit. "I didn't like her that much anyway, she seemed too reserved to ever mesh well with Leo."

"... you do pay attention to us." Jason smiled fondly at me and I simply rolled my eyes. As if. 

Hey, guys, gals, and non-binary pals! How you doing?

If the picture for this chapter doesn't make a lot of sense... good. 
To put it simply the shadows, like parts of this chapter, are foreshadowing

I like wordplay and it's more fun to not explain

Anyway, aim to confuse people and keep them curious

Have a great day/night!