Flatmates - Solangelo AU

SIX

SIX

The first thing Nico noticed was the smell of freshly baked cookies. The second was all the photos lining the walls. Lots were of Will growing up, but there were also several of just objects or places. They weren't framed, simply taped onto the wall itself. There were so many that one entire wall was covered floor to ceiling, and the other walls looked like they were trying to follow suit.

"My mom is into photography on the side. She never liked having to choose which ones to hang up, so she just started sticking all of them up." Will explained, noticing Nico staring at the walls.

As they walked farther into the house, he heard someone singing slightly off key in another room, and he assumed that was Naomi. That was also where Will led them, the kitchen Nico could now see.

"Will, you're home! And you must be Nico." She turned to him after hugging Will, pulling Nico in for a hug after.

"Yes ma'am. It's nice to meet you." Nico said politely. He figured ma'am was a safe bet as he had no idea whether she had changed her last name from Solace when she got married or not. Better safe than sorry.

"Please, that makes me sound old. Call me Naomi." She turned to Will. "I didn't get the chance to clear out the spare room, do you mind if I stick Nico in yours with you?"

"Not at all. I'll let you get back to it while we go unpack. Smells really good Mom." Will led Nico away from the kitchen and up the stairs. His room was the first door.

The walls were bright yellow. Nico was about to laugh at this fact when Will put his hand up to stop him. "Shut up. I was twelve and wanted my room to look like the sun."

"Pretty sure it's more of a urine yellow." Will laughed and threw his bag in the corner.

"I tried to cover the walls with posters, but when I moved out I took most of them with me, barring these ugly walls to the eyes of unsuspecting strangers.

Nico shoved his bag against the wall in a similar fashion to Will. "So what were you like as a child?" Nico asked, curious. Will's bedroom was pretty bare and held no hints to the answer of the question.

"I was a major nerd, still am. I've just learned to tone it down a bit. I brought all my books with me when I moved out, as you probably noticed in my room. I'm a slow reader because I have mild dyslexia, but I still really enjoy it."

"What types of books do you like to read?" Nico was trying to make conversation, which was new as Will was usually the one to carry it along.

"I really like fantasy novels, but I'll read pretty much everything. Classics are always really good too."

"Classics? Aren't you a sophisticated being."

"I started buying them because they have pretty covers, but then I actually stated reading them when I started university and found they were really good. Do you like reading?"

"I don't mind the occasional story, but I can never push my way through classics." Nico shrugged.

"You don't like classics? But you like classical music and art and shit. How are you not into the classics?" Will was genuinely surprised to hear this.

"Just because I like classical music doesn't mean I like classics. They require too much effort to read. If I'm going to read a book, I like to be able to just sit down and breeze through the story."