Chapter 16

                                    

                                          
A/N: the f slur and some hateful language mentioned again, just wanted to let you know before you read on. 
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Nico was sitting in the bed in the nurse's office. The nurse was in but Will told her that she should probably go after Octavian instead and that he could handle taking care of Nico. The nurse was skeptical at first but she went ahead with a first aid kit to take care of Octavian first.
Will had found some tissues and some plasters to put on Nico's face. Will went over and he sat down next to Nico on the edge of the bed, facing him.
"A fight with Octavian. What were you thinking, Nico?" Will slightly scolded, bringing the tissue up to clean off the dried blood around Nico's nose and lips.
Nico stayed silent as Will cleaned off the blood and threw the tissue away.
"Octavian started it." Nico huffed.
"No excuse." Will said.
Nico rolled his eyes. 
"Right, okay, so why did you go ahead and punch and kick him in the balls?" Nico snapped back. 
Will opened a plaster and he looked at Nico's face. He used his free hand to tilt Nico's face slightly away so he could place the plaster on Nico's cheek where it seemed to be a little scratched up. 
"Because I couldn't stand the sight of seeing him just beating you up right into the fucking wall, Nico. And he deserved it." Will huffed as he gently placed the plaster on Nico's cheek and smoothed it out on his skin. 
Nico bit his tongue, slightly grimacing.
Nico looked back at Will once Will had finished putting on the plaster. Will looked at Nico's face, not detecting anymore injuries but he looked down at Nico's hands. Will took one of Nico's hands and saw that his knuckles were a little bruised, maybe a little swollen. Will frowned as he ran his thumb over Nico's knuckles. 
"That was completely reckless, Nico." Will said quietly. 
"He called me a fag, Will." Nico said, his voice slightly breaking. "A cocksucker." 
Will instantly looked up into Nico's eyes. Nico's eyes seemed to well up a little and Nico scoffed as he looked away from Will and took his hand away from him. 
Nico looked down at his hands, and he began to fiddle with the skull ring around his finger. 
"I haven't... No one has ever called me that before. Yeah, people have insulted me in previous schools, the kid whose nose I broke just because he was being homophobic didn't even go that far. He was just taunting me and the anger just built up so I punched him." Nico said, his voice quiet and fragile. "How- Will, I couldn't just stand there and take it, I..." 
Nico felt his eyes beginning to well up, indicating he was about to cry, but he didn't want to. He was on the brink of tears but he tried to hold it back. 
Nico felt the warmth of Will's hand cup his cheek and turn his face to face him. Nico looked at Will and Will had shuffled closer, looking directly into Nico's eyes with the most softest, caring gaze in the world. 
"I'm sorry." Will whispered. "Nico, I am so sorry that Octavian went to such lengths, and I am sorry for...scolding you, I know that... I just care about you and I really don't want you to get hurt." 
Nico felt a lump in his throat and he tried not to blink to not let a tear fall down from his cheek, but he couldn't stop himself. Nico blinked and he felt the tear stream down his cheek. He felt Will's thumb wipe away his tear and Nico leaned into the warmth of Will's palm against his cheek. 
"Think I'll get expelled?" Nico asked quietly. 
"Nah, I don't think the Principal will even find out." Will said softly. "Plus, you're not getting rid of me that easily. Magnus, Alex and I would totally convince the Principal to let you stay." 
Nico let out a soft laugh and he smiled at Will. Will smiled back at Nico.