Inbetween

15 - Thus with a kiss I die

Nicky's P.O.V.:
After that Leo pretty much avoided me. When we walked into each other he got red and found another excuse to get away from me. I didn't take it personal, I found it cute and every once and then I messed with him to see him get embarrassed. Maybe I was being a jerk, but seeing him so embarrassed almost vulnerable made him even cuter. When he was nervous or embarrassed he tended to bite his lip. And damn, I would do anything to see him biting his lip nervously. Whenever he wasn't in the greenhouse or the library, he was in his room listening to "Like You Do" by Joji in an endless loop. Was that a red flag? Should I have been more concerned?

When I arrived everyone was so kind except of Alec, who wanted to act extra tough in front of me and spread alpha energy giving me judging looks, and of course Leo, who couldn't stick around me for more than 5 minutes. Even though they were breaking the law, they still didn't tell anyone about my current stay. I especially liked Isabelle. She always smiled and was so kind. She probably knew about my and Leo's history. But I didn't put my mind to it too much.
Besides the small talk whenever we met in the kitchen or the library, we did avoid each other a bit. There was something in the air I can't really describe. I did appreciate the cordiality though.

It might not seem like me, but I couldn't stand the awkward silence between me and Leo so I eventually broke the ice. Leo was in the library reading a book at a desk. It was old, dusty and about protective runes. He wore his glasses I absolutely hated, that he wore exclusively when he was reading.
I couldn't hold it together so I sat down in front of him on the other side of the table and stared at him for 15 minutes straight. He didn't care at the beginning, but when I hit the 20 minutes he once directed his stare at me, then looked back at the book immediately and got red. I most likely began grinning.

"Stop that", Leo muttered under his breath.
I grinned even more.
"What? Tell me exactly what you want me to stop with, Leo, and I'll do it as long as you recompense me by letting me give you, let's say, a peck on that beautiful lips of yours", I said and raised my brows in amusement. Leo got redder and I wondered if that was even possible. His hands shaking holding his book.
"Leo", I said taking the book from his hands and the glasses off his nose.
"Look at me", I continued and Leo blinked to adjust his sight and then finally looked directly in my eyes after days of me trying to make him look at me. I smiled putting a strand of his hair behind his ears and the back of my hand carefully brushed against his cheek. Leo definitely felt uneasy and stared at his own feet.
"What's up with you lately? I'm kind of tired of having to figure you out. Talk to me, please", I snapped completely losing it and the smile on my face was vanishing.
"It's not the place nor the time for this", he said his lips shaking. He stood up, put a piece of paper in my palm and left.
When he walked through the doorway he faked a cough and from behind the door Isabelle, Jace and Clary appeared.
"Meet me at 9 pm at my room, yours dearly L.L aka pretty boy", the note said in the same handwriting like Alec's and I couldn't describe how wild the butterflies in my stomach were going. I tried to hide my excitement the best I could. So he did think about me this whole time. Isabelle patted my shoulder proudly and smiled. I left right after getting ready for what was coming.

Leo's P.O.V.:
I wasn't even out of the library when I ran to my door, locked the door and sit down on the ground leaning onto my room's door. Putting my hands on my neck I rested my head on them. I always used to do this whenever I was tired and exhausted.
I smiled and couldn't hide it anymore.

You might be asking why I distanced myself from Nicky. The answer is simple.
I couldn't handle it all at once. Just wasn't sure about how I felt with him just being here as if nothing happened. At least he acted that way, but for me it wasn't. I couldn't erase almost two years from my memory just like that. And to be honest, I was afraid to confront him. I mean, why would
he be here if not to cut things off? Well, I still don't know what exactly I mean with "things", because what we had wasn't official back then and I was afraid he didn't feel the way I did.
What if he just needed me for his rebel phase to mess with his parents? Not like that just happens in movies. Clearly I was overthinking it to much, but I tick that way.