Solangelo 4

Part 48

A month later.

NICO

Will left early in the morning to start his shift at the infirmary. As usual, he let me sleep in late without waking me.
I wake up a couple hours later, well into the day. I get up and get changed and head out to breakfast. I sit with Percy at my table.
'You slept in late.' He says as food appears in front of us.
'I think I'm going to be catching up on sleep for the rest of my life.' I say.
'I have never related to you more.' We talk about normal things. I ask about his family, about his little sister. He asks about Will. It's a good conversation.
When we finish he asks if I want to join him and Leo on the assault course. I decline.
'Taking breakfast to Will.' I explain. We part, and I make my way down to the infirmary. Kayla greets me as I walk in and takes a croissant from the plate of food I bought down.
'You're the best, Neeks.' She says, grinning as she continues on her way, 'Will's in the back!' She calls out.
'Thanks.' I say, heading towards the back room where Will works away at his desk. I poke my head in, 'bad time?'
'Hey!' He says. I made him jump, 'how'd you sleep?' He asks as I place the plate down for him.
'Super.' I say, sarcastically. He rolls his eyes a little and takes a croissant, 'when do you have a day off?'
'I think I've got one sometime three years from now.' He jokes.
I move round and sit beside him on the small office chair. My legs are curled up on his lap and I lean on his shoulder.
'You comfortable there?' He asks, laughing a little.
'Very.' I reply. He continues to eat and finish off whatever he was writing as I sit beside him. Until I get bored. I pull at his shirt sleeve, attempting to distract him. It doesn't work at first, but after a while he looks down at me and smiles. I kiss him quickly. Again and again.
'When is your next day off work?' I ask again. He lets out a frustrated sigh and kisses me again.
'Not for a while.' He says, 'but I could just quit and we could run away and then I'd have free days forever.'
'That works for me.' I say, I pull him in closer and we kiss again. Longer, better.
And then the door opens and Reve walks in.
'I heard there was breakfast!' He says, clearly very amused at having caught us kissing.
I pick up a pain au chocolate and chuck it at his head.
'Knock, asshole.' I say, but he's still grinning. He picks up his pain au chocolate.
'I actually came in to say that Kayla and I could handle this shift if you wanted to take the day off.' Reve says, 'but maybe I'm too much of an asshole to let that happen?'
'He didn't mean it.' Will says quickly.
'I did but I will happily take it back if he gets the day off.' I say to Reve.
'We'll manage without.' Reve says.
'You serious?' Will asks.
'I'm serious. Go before we change our mind.'
I jump up and grab Will's hand, practically dragging him out of the infirmary.
'Thanks for breakfast!' Reve shouts as we leave.
We wander outside, just revelling in having the day to ourselves. But before we can make any plans, I pause.
'You okay?' He asks, waving a hand in front of my face. I don't blink, 'Nico?'
'He's here.' I say.
'Who?' But his face drops. He knows, 'where?'
But I'm already moving. I hurry over to my cabin, Will close behind me. I open the door and there, sitting on the edge of my unmade bed, is my dad.
'Nico.' He says, 'hello again.'