Bruises | Solangelo | Mortal AU

Chapter 8

Nico winced. "Ow..." he softly complained under his breath. 

"Sorry." We were back at the house after the movie and I was helping Nico clean up his injuries so they didn't get infected (because I'm an amazing person like that). 

He was sitting on the counter of our bathroom. I was standing over him, hunched over examining his wounds and dabbing them with our cleaner from my school. Since I was going to med-school, I liked to have all the first-aid supplies on hand in case of emergencies... Or just for an owie in the middle of the night and all the stores are closed (don't ask. It's a long story.)

I put a bandage around his last cut. "There!" I stood back and smiled at my job. I snapped a finger gun at Nico. "Best med-student around. And the hottest." I ran my hand through my hair and made an exaggerated 'sexy' face. 

Nico pushed my chest and hopped off the counter. "I can't believe I kiss that." He rolled his eyes while pulling his shirt on. 

I grabbed his wrist and spun him towards me, leaving enough room so his chest didn't touch mine so he didn't feel any... extra pain. "What's that supposed to mean?" I whispered against his ear, holding his face in my hands. 

Nico turned a shade of crimson. "Exactly what I said," he whispered. He sounded way out of breath. 

Our faces were just less than an inch apart. "Oh?" I whispered back at him. Then with no warning, I pulled away and backed out the door, running my hand through my hair. "Well then..." I walked the rest of the way out of the bathroom, probably leaving behind a blushing Nico and went to sit on the couch. I waited one minute...two minutes... Then called "Are you cooking? Or should I order in?" 

"I'm cooking!" Nico yelled, still in the bathroom. 

;;;

Nico pushed my plate of tacos towards me. "Here you go." He rolled his eyes, noticed I was just staring at the placemat. 

"Oh! Thanks." I picked up the first taco and took a bite and waited a minute before talking again. "Hey, Neeks?"

Nico looked up. "Yeah?"

I mentally smiled really, really big because Nico didn't correct me when I said 'Neeks' and I noted that for later. Physically, I tried my best to stay nonchalant. "Do you...want to apply for a new job?"

"Yes," Nico said without hesitation. He put down his taco. This means business. Nico never puts down his taco. "I have an idea. Will you help me with the interview?"

Woah. Nico just asked for help. I grinned ear-to-ear. "Of course, what are interested in? Do you want to work at another shelter or do something completely different?"

"I want to work at a shelter again. A different one. I actually already looked into it. Annabeth's cousin... Maggie... Mark..."

"Magnus?"

"Yeah, him. He owns a shelter in town. It's called Chase Space. He runs it with his boyfriend/girlfriend Alex."

"Oh! I've met Alex! Annabeth introduced us a while back. She tried to kill me!"

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Kill you?"

I hit me how that sounded. "Well... Annabeth introduced me, she was like, 'Hi, this is my friend, Will! He is going to school to be a doctor!' and Alex was like, 'Your name is Will?' and I was like, 'Yeah...? Is that a bad name?' and she was like, 'Never met a good Will in my life. I actually promised myself I would attempt to kill anyone named Will.' and then Magnus showed up, heard the last part and told Alex she couldn't kill me because I wasn't dead like them and she said she could change that then tried to kill me with really sharp wires but cut Magnus's hand off instead because he got in the way and they rushed back to Valhalla. So yeah... The only interaction I ever had with either of them."

Nico looked at me for a minute and burst out laughing. "Oh, my gods! Seriously?" He picked up his taco and shook his head as he took a bite, still smiling. "That's a classic."

I shot him a confused look but ignored his last comment and finished off my tacos. I cleaned up from dinner and washed the dishes and when I was done I met Nico on the couch to watch a movie. He cuddled close to me and put his head on my chest, laying on his back. I wrapped my arm around him and kissed the top of his head. This is one of those little things that always makes him smile and blush, no matter what mood he is in. 

I spent about 10 minutes scrolling when he grabbed the remote. "Jesus, you can never make a decision!" He scrolled for about one minute and put on Polaroid. Again. 

The thing is about Nico, he is only scared of horror movies the first time he watches them. If he watches them, he can watch them again and again with no reactions or nightmares. I flinched a few times and he laughed at me (because of course, he couldn't just leave me alone) but overall, movies with Nico were always, always my favourite part of the day. I loved just cuddling, it was just me and him, no one else. 

;;;

When the movie was over, he got up, and right before he disappeared into his bedroom I grabbed his wrist real quick. "Would you be okay with getting lunch with the gang tomorrow? I know we just hung out a few days ago but-"

My words were cut off with a quick kiss. "I'd love to, text them to set up the plans and I'll be there." He gave me one last kiss on the cheek (he had to stand on his tippy-toes which I thought was adorable but he didn't like it when I brought it up so I kept those thoughts to myself) and disappeared into his bedroom. 

I spent about five minutes in the hallway, staring at the wall, smiling at myself like a fool before I went to bed.