Solace Through Darkness (Solangelo One-shots)

The Heartlands

"Vanilla, please," Cecil told the waitress.

"Sounds good, hon," she said with a southern accent that would make any normal teenage boy blush, Cecil included. "Be back in a sec."

Once she was gone, Cecil leaned over the table towards the only other boys in the booth.

"Isn't she hot?" he whispered hoarsely.

"You're asking us?" Will smirked.

"You realize we're both gay, right?" asked Nico.

Lou Ellen groaned. "And yet, I can't get you two to hook up."

Little did she know, underneath the table, their fingers were laced. They exchanged "Not a word" expressions, but neither Lou Ellen nor Cecil noticed.

Just then, the hot waitress walked up. "Order up!" she said and set down a strawberry milkshake for Lou Ellen, a vegan pina colada for Nico, a vanilla shake for Cecil, and an orange smoothie for Will.

"Huh," the waitress said, "have you been here before? You ordered our signature dish without looking at the menu AND you look familiar."

"I lived in Empire a few years ago. Moved away when I was twelve. Mom still lives here, though."

"Oh. Well then, welcome back!"

She walked off again.

"Will," Lou Ellen said, "Why don't you have an accent like everyone else in this town?"

"I do. It's just... embarrassing because no one else at camp talks like that."

"Most of us are covering up accents. I have a clear Chicago accent, but you don't hear me using it."

"Same," said Lou Ellen. "except mine is clearly Massachusetts."

The door rang and a group of rowdy teenager stepped in.

"Oh no," Will muttered.

"What?" Nico asked.

"I know them."

"Then why don't you invite them over here?" Lou Ellen interjected.

"Let's just say that they are seriously prejudiced and without shame."

"That's not good..."

"Well!" called a new voice, a loud boy with a country accent. "Tourists? I don't like tourists."

"Not tourists, visiting family," Lou Ellen replied.

"Y'all seem like you're tourists," said another girl in a straw hat.

"Y'all?" Cecil smirked.

"Humf. City folk. Not good. Let's see how well you prissy people do in a fight!"

"Ah, heck no!" Will spoke up. "I'm not working today, and if I know Cecil at all, he'll wind up with li'l bits of teeth left. Nuh-huh!"

Silence.

"Well, Will 'homo' Solace! Nice to see you back!"

"Ryan. At least I'm homo-sapien. I have no clue what all of you are."

"Oooooooooooh!" Lou Ellen and Cecil said in unison.

"At least I don't do it with guys."

"Oooooooooooh!" Cried the other Georgia citizens.

"At least I'm loved back," Ryan said. Will looked brokenhearted. Ryan smirked and continued. "At least I'm called hot. At least I have friends. At least I'm seeing someone."

"Shut up!" Nico stood.

The ring-leader looked confused. "Who're you?"

"Nico di Angelo. You have no right to make fun of Will for who he is."

"And who'd you think you are, talkin' back like that?"

Nico considered what he was about to do before realizing that if he thought about it, he wouldn't do it. His better judgment took over. He slung he arms around Will's neck.

"Will's boyfriend. He is seeing someone, too. He's perfect in every place you fail to be. He has friends, great ones. He is loved. Really loved, the kind that only comes along once in a lifetime."

He gazed up into Will's eyes. They conveyed the message: I thought you would never tell anyone.

"You are loved," Nico finished the last word a few seconds before kissing him. Will's lips tasted like oranges.

A/N: Totally pulled a southern stereotype, sorry if anyone is offended. Reminder: if you give me a good prompt, you get a place in that chapter and me as a follower. Thanks! -Kristen Bursts