Solangelo one-shots

00:00:00

Trigger warning: Homophobia & homophobic language, bullying.

Authors note: I made so many different references by accident in this. I wonder if anyone can find them all 👀

This is my longest one yet
(4326 words)

Edit: Spelling, grammar, added details + cover photo. Plot stays the same.

Thank you to my online friend, D4R1NGD0V3, who made the fan-art above! He put so much well-paid hard work into the drawing! The art is a part of a scene closer to the end during this story.
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[Nico's POV: third person]

In this world, everyone has a timer on their wrist that counts down the time until you meet your soulmate.

Once you kiss your soulmate, their name appears below the timer.

In this case, a soulmate is a romantic life partner.

Some people don't have soulmates. Their timers have always been on 00:00:00.

They've always been called 'outcasts,' disliked by many.

So when Nico asked about his timer, his mother told him it meant he had no soulmate. After hearing that, he was devastated. Even in his first memories, his timer was at 00:00:00.

Nico is 9 years old, and he has no father. His father died when he was 5. He had been homeschooled his entire life. His mother told him that she homeschooled him to keep him away from the bullies. That made sense to Nico, plus, he didn't mind the attention.

When Nico first found out what the zeros meant, he ran to his childhood best friend, (and neighbour) Will Solace. He and Will had been friends since they were 3 when their parents paired them up.

When Nico explained, teary-eyed, Will comforted him.

"If it helps, I don't have a soulmate ether, remember?" Will showed his arm.

"But what about school? Do you get bullied?" Nico asked, felling a bit better.

"Well, I do... but I just keep on going and ignore them. So, since nether of us have soulmates, that means we were meant to be platonic soulmates!" Will explained, grinning from ear to ear.

"What does plateonalck mean..." Nico asked messing up the pronunciation.

"It means 'as friends'! I learned it in school."

Time skip (about 4 years later)

"Mom." Nico started just after dinner.

"Yes darning?" His mom replied turning back to him.

"Can I... maybe... go to normal school? Your lessons are good, I just want to meet other kids... you know?" Nico asked looking at his feet.

"But the bullies-"

"I'll just ignore them! Just like Will." He looked up giving a soft smile.

"I'll be strong, just like Will." Nico said, softer this time, chin up.

Nico's mom never liked Will and Nico never knew why. She tried to keep Nico away from him a few times, but each time it ended up badly, Nico hating her, him becoming depressed, him sneaking out, etc, etc. He didn't know when, but at some point she gave up.

She sighed.

"Alright. But! If the bullies get bad enough, I will be taking you out again."

"Thank you!" Nico said hugging her.

"I'm going to go tell Will the news!" Nico said excitedly running up to his room.

Between his and Will's house was a tree that when they were much younger, they begged their parents to make into a treehouse. Their houses were close enough to each other that they were able to climb out of their windows and climb the tree to the structure they built in the middle. Ever since, they've been spending so much time in the tree that they could just expect the other to be there whenever.