#anythiiiing

And Kayla hadn’t let go of Nico’s hand since they arrived at the airport. Her grip was slowly becoming tighter and when Nico looked down at her, he realized her eyes were red and watery, her face contorted as she pushed back the tears. Without saying anything, Nico picked her up and her arms locked around his neck as she hid her face in his shoulder. Nico felt her tears dampening the shirt, but he didn’t mind. In fact, his heart swelled with both affection and pain for Kayla.

Will walked over to them and put a hand on his sister’s back. “Hey, monkey,” he said softly. Kayla didn’t move. Will glanced at Nico and he mouthed, she’s crying. Looking crestfallen, Will began to stroke her hair lightly. “Where’s my hug?”

Slowly, Kayla pulled away from Nico and reached for Will. She wrapped herself around him like the monkey he called her and her small body shook with sobs. The expression on Will’s face broke Nico’s heart, and he remained at his side as he said goodbye to his little sister. “I love you, Kayla,” he murmured into her hair.

“I love you too,” she cried softly. “I’ll miss you so much.” Nico shut his eyes as tears began to fall down Will’s cheeks and his arms squeezed the six year old tighter.

“Come on, princess, we have to go,” Lester said gently. Naomi was crying silently, a pained smile on her face.

Will put Kayla down, but she turned to Nico before returning to her parents. He leaned down to hug her, and she whispered, “Please take care of my brother.” She kissed his cheek then scurried beside her mom who leaned down to kiss her head. She waved, as they entered their terminal and both Will and Nico watched until they were out of sight.

Without another word, Nico placed a hand on Will’s arm and his best friend turned and pulled him into a hug. Nico was surprised, but didn’t think twice about hugging him back. They stood silently, enveloped in each other’s arms in the middle of the airport until Will pulled away.

“You okay?” Nico asked softly.

“I will be,” he answered. “I’ll miss them.” He wiped at his eyes and Nico yearned to kiss away the tears. Instead, he kept still and waited. “I’m okay,” Will assured.

“Want to grab some lunch?” Nico offered. “Or do you want to just watch movies at my place?”

“Lunch sounds good,” he answered.

They stopped at a restaurant and ordered something to drink before Will smiled and said, “So Kayla really liked you.”

“More than your parents, yeah,” he answered feeling his cheeks burn. “She’s sweet.”

“What do you mean?” he asked. Nico looked up to see him looking genuinely confused. “About my parents.”

He hesitated, not wanting to upset him. But he’d already talked, so he had to explain himself. He sipped his soda and looked down at the table. “I just… I got the feeling your mom and dad didn’t really like me. I don’t know what you told them about… us… but I just….” He shrugged. “Your dad kept giving me this weird look and… your mom usually pretended I wasn’t there. I don’t mind, I just… felt like I was intruding usually.”

It was quiet, and Nico didn’t want to look up. He kept his gaze on the menu, suddenly fascinated with the pictures of food and the printed words. He could feel his cheeks growing warmer and warmer as he waited.

Then Will finally spoke. “I told them we decided to take a break while you worked on some things. My dad’s a psychologist, and I told them that you’re struggling with a few things. My mom usually worries a lot and goes SuperMom on people she worries about. To keep from doing that she’s distant. She wasn’t ignoring you, she just didn’t want to end up smothering you. And my dad was probably letting his work get in his way again and trying to figure you out.” Nico took a breath and nodded, hoping he was right. And even if he wasn’t, Nico would pretend he believed him. “They liked you, Neeks. Otherwise they wouldn’t have had you come along all week.”

“Okay,” he said with a smile. “I’ll believe you.” The waitress came by and took their order before walking away and leaving them alone again. “When do you go back to the university for another orientation group?”

“This coming weekend,” he answered. “So if you want to get that tattoo, we should go tonight or tomorrow.”

“Well, sounds like a plan,” he said with a smile. He bit his lip and hesitated as he thought of going to the tattoo parlor and getting his phoenix. He’d already decided he wanted it on his back. Will had helped him find a good design and now it was just a matter of finding time to go.

Will had an afternoon hospital shift that day, so Nico was left to his own devices. Which was fine for the time being. He was better than he had been the week before during Will’s ceremony. But he wasn’t great. He was hoping the tattoo might strengthen him, as sappy as it sounded. He hoped the tattoo would give him a surge of energy and hope to fend off the next low for a little longer.

He was doing everything he could. Therapy, coping methods, writing, medication, sitting outside in the sun to read instead of staying inside. He was doing everything he could to feel better and be normal again. He was fighting so hard, and it was exhausting.

Especially when he was alone and had to distract himself. He took everything one thing at a time, focusing entirely on one task to keep his mind from becoming the usual mess of incoherent rushing thoughts.

Meanwhile, Will was working his way through the hospital, visiting and checking on patients efficiently and with a kindness that made even the most cynical a little more comfortable.

“What’s the big occasion? You seem incredibly upbeat today,” Malcolm noted with a smile.

Will shrugged and shook his head. “Nothing. I mean, it was nice having my family here. And me and Nico have been hanging out a lot so that’s always a good thing.” He blushed and bit his lip. “It’s weird. It feels like a crush. I don’t really know what the deal there is. I don’t know what he feels exactly, and I’m nervous and giddy around him because of it. It’s just… it feels strange. In a good way.”

“I thought you were both in love with each other. Isn’t that why you decided to become friends?” he asked as they walked. Will rubbed his neck and sighed.

“I don’t know. I do love him. If anything I love him more. But I don’t know if he… loves me still? If he loves me as much? I don’t know. We have so many boundaries and now I don’t really know what we’re waiting for.” Malcolm frowned and stopped walking looking at Will expectantly. “What?”

“It’s pretty obvious you guys are still insanely into each other,” he said softly. “I mean the dude came to your ceremony even though he looked like he was about to have a nervous breakdown. He’s hung out with you any time you’re not busy. And you’re so obviously into him. You need to make the first move.”

Will stuttered and stared at Malcolm in shock. “What? Why me? He’s the one working on his health and his feelings and stuff. I don’t want to push him.”

“Yes, but you are the one that said he had to win your trust back. You’re the one that didn’t take him back the first time. You’re the one he’s waiting on.” Will looked down at the ground and processed the information.

Was that true? Was that what was happening? This whole time, had they been waiting on each other? And if so, why was the idea of making the first move so terrifying to Will?

He pushed the thought aside until his shift was over and he was able to get back to Nico’s place. When Will knocked, the door opened and Nico returned to the couch where he’d been channel surfing. “How was your shift?” he asked.

Will sat on the couch beside him and tried to keep his butterflies under control. He couldn’t help but think that they basically lived together as it was. Will found himself crashing on Nico’s couch or floor and going there between work and his leadership at the university.

“It was good,” he finally answered. “What have you done today?”

Nico shrugged and gestured at the T.V. “Not much really. Taking things one at a time to keep myself together. It’s working.” He gave Will a small smile and looked away, focusing on the television again. “I found a few parlors, but this one is the cheapest with the best reviews.” He handed Will his laptop and showed him a tattoo parlor website.

“You ready for this?” he asked as he scrolled through the site. Nico bit his lip and nodded. “Then let’s go!” He stood up and twirled his keys around his fingers. “ID and money, don’t forget that.”

“Why do you seem more excited about this than I do?” he chuckled, standing from the couch. He walked into his room while Will went to lean against the door. A few moments later Nico came back in a button down shirt with his wallet in his hands and he gave Will a thumbs up. “Let’s do this,” he said with a nervous smile.

Will smiled and they left the apartment and got into Will’s car. While the radio played, Nico’s knee kept bobbing up and down nervously until Will was able to navigate himself to the tattoo parlor Nico wanted.

The second they went inside, the sharp smell of antiseptic hit their nose and made Nico cringe. A girl with blonde hair and turquoise streaks, piercings, and tattoos up and down her arm was sitting at the glass counter, scrolling through her phone. She looked up with bright emerald eyes and waved. “Can I help you?” she asked in a pleasant raspy voice.

“Uh, yeah. I want to get a tattoo, and I have the design and everything. Walk-ins okay?”

“Yep, we do walk-ins,” she said. “Let’s see it.” She held out her hand and Nico gave her his phone. “Oh cool,” she said. “Do you have any idea where or how big?”

Nico gestured to the nape of his neck. “Kind of along my shoulder blades with the wings. From the nape of my neck to wherever looks good.”

Will turned him around and gave her an estimated height. “He doesn’t want it to big, but he also doesn’t want it small.”

“Gotcha,” she said. “Alright, let’s do this. You trust a girl to do your ink?”

“Yes?” Nico answered, confusion clear in his voice.

“Good answer,” she said with a smile. “Come on. Freckles, you coming too?” Will nodded, smirking at the ease she had with them. “Alright, handsome, shirt off. I’m going to print this, trace it, show you, then we can go into the ink. Deal?” Nico nodded, unbuttoning his shirt. She returned to the desk and Will tried to keep his eyes away from Nico as he removed his shirt.

Still, he couldn’t help but look back at him, the smoothness of his skin, littered with light scars, the soft fat that he had just above where his jeans were buttoned, the thin happy trail disappearing under them, the tops of his V-line teasing him.

He managed to tear his eyes away, trying to keep his face from overheating. Thankfully the tattoo artist came back with a trace for the tattoo and she sat Nico down on a chair. Nico sat backwards on it, draping his arms over the back of the chair. “I’m honestly a little terrified,” he whispered. Will smiled at him and pulled a chair up to sit in front of him.

“First tattoo, right?” the girl said. Nico nodded. “You’ll get addicted after this one,” she said with a smirk. “I’m Rebecca by the way.”

“Nico,” he answered.

“Will,” Will added. “Did you do your own tattoos?” he asked.

“Some of them. Or I at least designed them. But this is my shop, actually. I’ve been doing this since I was eighteen.” Nico placed his chin in his hands as she drew the outline on his back. “You getting a tattoo today too, Will?”

“No, just Nico,” he smiled. “I’m here for support.”

A few quiet, tense moments later, she pulled back and pulled her hair back. “Okay. Hand me that mirror there please.” Will grabbed a handheld mirror on the counter and gave it to her. She had Nico stand and reflected the tattoo onto the mirror. “What do you think?”

Nico smiled and his eyes began to sparkle. “I love it.” His eyes flickered to Will and Will nodded, giving him an encouraging smile. “It looks great.”

“Alright then. Come sit.” She grabbed her tools and Will kept his eyes on Nico. He looked excited but nervous at the same time.

Without thinking, Will reached forward and smoothed the crease between his eyebrows with his thumb. Nico’s eyes fluttered in surprise, and Will bit his lip nervously. “Don’t look so scared,” he murmured.

Nico smiled and held his hand out. “Hold my hand. I’m terrified.” Will scoffed but slid his hand into Nico’s. Their fingers didn’t intertwine. That was what couples did. They weren’t a couple. Will’s gaze fell and he wondered when would be a good time to mention the date or how he would even ask.

Then Rebecca said, “Okay. Here we go.” The sound of the needles pierced the air and Nico’s hand tightened around Will’s. He winced as the needles began to outline his skin.

He hummed and furrowed his eyebrows. “It hurts. But it’s not too bad.” Will sat, never releasing his hand. He tugged on a stray strand of hair that fell in front of Nico’s face as Nico’s brown eyes focused on him.

Then suddenly Nico grimaced and dipped his head. His shoulders rose and fell with the breaths he took and when his head came back up, his eyes were screwed shut and his bottom lip was between his teeth. The expression took Will by surprise, and he felt his face flood with embarrassment.

It didn’t help when Nico began to spew profanities under his breath between gasps, his own face flushed, though due to the pain. Will felt his own breaths become irregular as he watched Nico’s reactions. Without the sound of the needles or the smell of antiseptic, anyone could’ve mistaken those sounds and expressions.

And that was exactly what Will’s mind was doing.

He stood up, his hand sliding out of Nico’s. Nico opened his eyes in shock and look at him, but Will was too flustered to speak. “I… uh, be back,” he muttered. He disappeared into the bathroom at the back of the parlor and began splashing his face with cold water. He took a deep breath and shook his head in frustration.

He wanted to take Nico’s face in his hands and kiss him until he forgot his name. He wanted to taste his lips until he knew nothing else. He wanted to kiss every scar, every dip and curve and line of his body. He yearned to hold him. He was desperate for him.

He was absolutely and completely in love with Nico and it wasn’t going away. He had to do something about it before he went crazy.

When he finally had himself under control, he left the bathroom and returned to where Nico was clenching his fists, dipping his head as his shoulders hunched. “Is it that bad?” Will asked, his voice much steadier.

Nico glanced up and smiled tightly. “It hurts on the bone. Which is most of it.” He sighed and bit his lip. “I’m getting used to it.” He glanced at Will and raised an eyebrow. “You okay?” Will nodded, not elaborating, and praying Nico wouldn’t prod.

They were there for two and a half hours in all, with Will talking to him to distract him. Rebecca chimed in with stories now and then. On certain parts of the tattoo, Nico’s face would contort in pain as he clenched his fist and held on to the chair.

In the end, when Rebecca had coated the tattoo and covered it in plastic, Will looked at it and took a picture to show Nico. “It looks incredible,” he told him.

“So worth it,” Nico breathed. “Thank you so much,” he said as he walked with Rebecca to the front desk. As Nico paid, Will glanced at the designs along the wall. When he felt Nico’s hand on his arm, he turned and went with him to the car.

While he drove, he tried to muster up his courage and phrase the question in his head. He wanted to know if Nico felt okay to try again. He wanted to know if he was really just waiting on Will. Will wanted to tell him he trusted him and still loved him and was dying to be able to kiss him.

“So… how do you feel?” Will grimaced at the dark road and his pathetic cowardice.

“I feel great,” he said. “Hey, your phone keeps lighting up.” Will frowned and grabbed it, glancing at the name. It was the orientation committee group. He waited until he parked to check the messages and groaned when he read them. “What is it?” he asked.

“They want the leaders to go a day early to set up,” he sighed. “I have to get back to them tomorrow morning.”

“You wanted to be an OL,” Nico teased as he got out. “Ah, my back is very sensitive right now.” Will smirked and walked with him to the door. “So does that mean you have to get back to campus now?”

“It’s pretty late. I doubt I’ll wake up early enough otherwise….” Nico nodded and Will bit his lip, trying to fight the knot in his throat that kept him from speaking. “Um….” Nico raised an eyebrow, his eyes worried. “I-” Suddenly Will’s phone rang and he cursed as he pulled his phone out to answer. “Hello?”

“Will? Did you get the texts? Because-”

“Yes I got them, I’ll be back tonight,” he sighed.

“Okay, because we’re doing a dinner thing in the lobby and there won’t be food left if you don’t hurry.”

Will sighed and rubbed his neck. “I’ll be there soon.” He hung up and looked at Nico who was eyeing him curiously.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. Just… have to get back soon.” Nico smiled and nodded.

“Okay. Well, thank you for driving me and coming with me and stuff. I appreciate it.”

“Of course,” he answered. He could still ask. He could still spit the words out.

“Goodnight. Drive safely.” Nico smiled and opened his door.

“Goodnight….” Nico shut the door and Will walked back to his car feeling both relieved and incredibly frustrated. He leaned his head against his steering wheel and groaned, grabbing fistfuls of his hair. “I’m an idiot,” he muttered.