The Colors of Your Soul (Solangelo)

His Name Is

    Nico didn't believe that he’d ever fall in love with his soulmate. Not when he already was beyond head over heels with someone else. His name was Will Solace, and he was someone everyone loved. Will believed in soulmates, but he didn't date other just to find out of they were soulmates or not. Will believed that everyone should have a little love. Those beliefs are what made Nico’s heart ache. Nico believed that no one that amazing would ever be his soulmate. Which is why he barely drew on himself.

    When you draw on yourself, it shows up on your soulmates skin. Nico only painted on his skin when he wanted to mentally convince himself that Will wasn't his soulmate. He’d paint his feelings onto his thighs or stomach, somewhere not noticeable.

    Nico had fallen in love before. He’d fallen in love with Percy, and he wasn't his soulmate. So what is the difference with Will? The difference is that Nico is beyond more in love with Will than Percy. He’s so in love it actually hurts. Anytime he'd see Will date someone, the butterflies he’d get in his stomach when he was around Will would turn into metal and weigh his stomach down.
    
     Now don't get him wrong, he was genuinely happy for Will. He just wished his feelings wouldn't chain him down.

    High school was hell, Nico believed. It was terrible when his only friend was his sister. Jason said they were friends, but Nico believed he said it out of pity.

    So here Nico was, walking the halls with Hazel, talking about how her soulmate was amazing. Hazel knew soulmates were a sensitive topic to Nico, so she trod carefully on the topic.

    “He drew hearts on our arms, Nico. Hearts!” Hazel gushed to Nico. Nico rolled his eyes.

     “So he drew... shapes? On your arms?” Nico asked her, confused. Hazel groaned.

     “No, Nico! You aren't getting it! It’s a symbol of love!” She sighed happily, looking at the drawn-on hearts on her arms.  

     They stopped at Nico’s locker. Hazel waved him goodbye and they parted. Nico struggled to open his locker, once he did, he groaned and slumped into his locker. He heard a chuckle from behind him.

     “Having trouble there?” Nico caught a very familiar voice say. Nico whirled around to see Will Solace standing there smirking at him.

    The short boy felt his face heat up and stuttered. “U-uhm,” Nico stammered, “I don't get what you're talking about.” Will raised an eyebrow at him.

    “I'm pretty sure I just saw you submerged in your locker.” Nico shook his head.

“Nope, don't remember that.”

“Even though your face was pressed into the very back of your locker?”

“I was checking for Narnia.”

    Will let out a laugh at that. “Well have fun looking.” The blonde haired boy put a hand on the dark haired boy’s shoulder. Will winked at him and walked off. Nico’s heart started beating as if he actually ran.

    After that heart-racing encounter, Nico grabbed his books and head off to his first class.

~~~

    The morning part of school was a dull blur. Nico had stared at the clock the whole time, waiting until lunch, even though he barely ate.

    Once the bell rang, indicating the next period, he swiftly walked to the cafeteria.

    Nico thought he’d be the first one to at the lunchroom, boy, was he wrong. The room was packed with people, even with the sluggishness of Monday. The Italian rushed to the lunch line to get food. He snatched a sandwich and coffee. Nico looked around to find Hazel’s lunch table and found it in the very middle. He sighed and went over to her table.

    He saw more people at the table than usual. Way more people. He scanned the new faces and stopped when his eyes landed on familiar blue eyes. Nico internally panicked as he saw Will laughing with Drew, an arm slung over her shoulders. Nico averted his eyes and sat down at the spot Hazel had saved for him. Will, unfortunately for Nico, had noticed him sit down.

    “Hey Nico! Did ya’ find Narnia?” Will greeted. Nico mentally sighed, he forgot about that.

     “No, I didn’t, I found a cold, empty space instead.” He told Will. Will unhooked his arm from Drew.

     “Which was?” The blonde asked.

     “My heart.” Nico deadpanned. Will snorted and continued eating.

    Nico looked over at Hazel, who was talking happily with a tall, Asian teen. The boy sighed and slumped into his own arms. He wasn't very hungry, he thought, while looking at his sandwich.

     Many minutes pass before someone talks to him again.

     “You haven't eaten at all, Nico, you need to eat.” Nico looks over to the source of the voice to see the blonde again.

     “I have eaten.” Nico told him.

     “The souls of many do not count Nico.” Will told him sternly. Nico cursed while Will cracked a smile. The blonde ruffled the Italian’s hair fondly and gave him a granola bar.

     “At least eat that.” Will gestured to the granola bar. Nico grumpily unwrapped and ate the bar.

     Drew came over to where the boys were and hooked her arm around Will’s. Nico frowned, but the couple didn't notice.

    “Oh, hey Drew.” Will greeted Drew. Drew sighed.

     “I thought we agreed on ‘babe’ ?”

     Nico turned away, but could feel Will staring at him. He didn't hear the response that Will had told her because he was already walking away.