Flatmates - Solangelo AU

FOURTEEN

FOURTEEN

"Good morning, Nico." Will called out as Nico entered the kitchen. It had been a week since Reyna had left, and while they were still speaking and getting along fine, Nico had become quiet and had retreated into his shell again.

"Buongiorno" Nico said, carefully stepping around Nyx who was pawing at his leg. Will poured him coffee and came over to pick up the kitten, petting her as Nico sipped from his mug and got started on breakfast.

They ate quietly and it drove Will crazy, but he had decided to give Nico some space. "I have work, so I won't be home to cook." Nico mentioned as he stood up, clearing his dishes.

"That's fine. How did you sleep?" Will asked, trying to make conversation to keep him talking.

"How do you think?" Nico retorted, going to his room to get ready. Will hated seeing Nico like this, but there wasn't much he could do. Nico would speak to him when he was ready.

- - - - -

The next two weeks passed in similar fashion, and due to classes and work, they only ever saw each other for breakfast. "I'm getting another tattoo next Saturday, if you know what you want, there's a space open."

"Oh umm, can I let you know in a day or two?" Will questioned.

"That's fine, I still have to draw up my design for Winona." Nico cracked an egg into the pan.

"Would you be willing to draw something up for me?" Will knew what he wanted but he just hadn't found the right design yet.

"What were you thinking?"

"I want like, a single tree, maybe two, going up my forearm, black because I'm not a huge fan of colour tattoos." Will tried to describe the picture in his head, but he wasn't doing a great job.

"Well you didn't give me much to work with, but I guess I could try to whip something up for you. I was going to work on mine while work was slow today, I'm sure I can squeeze yours in too." Nico set the plate of food down beside Will, but didn't start eating. "Look, I know I haven't been the best flat mate these past few days, but I just want you to know it has nothing to do with you, and I don't regret telling you anything." Nico admitted and Will nodded, smiling.

Neither of them spoke after that, but they didn't need to. Will cleaned up before he headed to class, and Nico grabbed his bag shortly after, heading to work.

The bells above the shop chimed as Nico used his keys to unlock the door. "Winona?" He called out.

"Sorry Nico, you're stuck with me." Alice, Winona's granddaughter, called from the back of the shop. Her parents had named her after the Wonderland book, but she ended up shaving half her head, dropping out of college, and moving across the ocean. She worked at the shop part time and did all the bookings.

"That's fine. Oh, don't book the slot before me on Saturday, Will sounds like a yes. I'll let you know for sure within the next few days." Nico shrugged off his jacket and flipped the rest of the lights on, opening up the shop. He got to straightening the shelves until his first appointment showed up.

Alice didn't like quiet so she always had music playing on the old player Winona had bought when she had first opened up. She had an extensive disk collection and Alice and Nico would take turns choosing the cd throughout the day. The bells chimed again, and a middle-aged man came through, heading to the desk where Alice was sat behind a computer.