Camilo's Journey

Chapter 23:

A few days later and Spencer had distanced himself from Camilo. He came in occasionally, usually delivering food or something his mama had insisted and then he'd leave without out a word. His mama told him to give it time.

Camilo woke up to a palm in his face. Spencer's palm. He was trying to heal Camilo.
"Stay still." He whispered.
Camilo did, he watched Spencer focus on his forehead. His eyes closed and palm wavering.

"My headache is gone." Camilo whispered. Spencer let out a breath and looked relieved.
And then went to get up and head for the door.
Camilo grabbed his wrist and Spencer's eyes widened.
"Stay?" Camilo asked. He thought it was worth a try, it had been days of only seeing Spencer for a minute or two at a time. Otherwise Camilo was alone, occasionally his mama or Mirabel would come and sit with him but he got nothing of the sort from Spencer.

"Give him time." His mama had said.
"He's still here isn't he?" Mirabel had said to him.

Spencer hesitated. Camilo could see the indecision in Spencer's eyes. He didn't want to push but he couldn't take it anymore.

"Can you just tell me where we are at? Please. I miss you. Can we fix this Spence?" Camilo pleaded with him.

Spencer was quiet as he fixed the blankets that had been flung off during one of Camilo's fevers or nightmares, he couldn't be sure.
Camilo watched him. When the blankets were fixed he attempted healing again but Camilo snapped, he didn't mean to.

"Spencer please!!" He cried out suddenly. Spencer jolted and pulled his palm back. Great Camilo's headache was back. He was surprised, as soon as Spencer touched his finger to his temple that his head ache disappeared.

"Headaches are easy." Spencer sighed. But he kept his finger at Camilo's temple. "If I tell you where I'm at will you promise me you won't strain yourself anymore?" Spencer asked as he stroked Camilo's temple now. As soon as Camilo nodded Spencer took his finger away.

He fiddled with the draw strings on his hoodie but he finally spoke.
"I'm still here okay, that should tell you I still care, and I won't leave you." He said and looked up at Camilo with a vulnerable stare that he sometimes got on his face when he was struggling, it still hurt Camilo to see it.

"But Camilo, I'm always going to be a mess to be with. No matter how hard I work to do better there's always going to be some part of me that is messy." He squinted like maybe he was working out the best way to say what was next.
"It really hurt when you told me you didn't know how to fix things anymore. It felt like you were saying I was too much, and maybe I am. But to hear that from the only person who's never made me feel like I was too much, that hurt a lot."

Camilo's eyes mirrored Spencer's wet eyes without him realised.

"I never meant to hurt you, Spencer. And it's not that you're too much. You could never be.
You just kept running from me, when you should have been running to me. Be messy! Lose your shit at any thing that I do that upsets you, let me have it Spencer! Yell at me, scream at me. Tell me exactly what is on your mind! I will never not want to hear it." Camilo said wiping his eyes. "I want all of you Spencer, you don't need to hold back anything, not with me. Get jealous, even over Noah or any situation even if you think it's ridiculous." Camilo paused and took Spencer's hand, stunned when he let him and he could almost see the makings of a smile playing on Spencer's lips.

"Just say what you need me to hear and we'll go through it together. We are a team Spence, that means you don't have to go through anything alone."

Spencer eyed Camilo warily.
"Is it okay if I put you to the test on all of that?" Spencer said softly.
"Uh, yes." Camilo said. "Silly boy." He added hoping to get a smile, but Spencer was inscrutable.. he'd have to wait.

"Okay!" He said and sat up straighter. He took a few deep breaths and unleashed. And for the first time Spencer didn't run, he let Camilo see all the places his mind had been through. Spencer was freeing up months of pent up anxieties, seeing him so liberated made Camilo feel like he'd finally cracked the mystery that was Spencer Davies.

***

"That's really it?" Spencer asked. He's walls were down now. His beautifully freckled face just inches from Camilo's as they laid on their stomachs face to face. His cerulean blue eyes still wet from tears but more beautiful than Camilo could imagine anything ever being.

"Yes, that's it. All of you, unashamedly, all the time!" Camilo said brushing an eyelash off Spencer's face. Spencer blinked and then Camilo got to see the smile he'd been missing.

"Okay." Spencer said and brushed his nose against Camilo's.

Camilo was stunned, Suddenly any aches and pains that lingered from Camilo's flu seemed to dissipate. His eyes widened when a warm buzz came over him and suddenly instead of feeling tired and worn out he felt refreshed. He gasped.

"How did you do that?"
"Do what?" Spencer's eyes widened and studied Camilo like he'd gone mad.
"I feel better." Camilo said still in shock.
"Well you had to get over the flu some time." Spencer said with a smile.

"No, that was instantaneous, like when you've healed me before." Camilo told him. Spencer's turn to gasp.

"What? I don't didn't do anything." He said.
"Apparently you did, without realising." Camilo said.
"I was hoping you'd feel better soon, that's all." Spencer said.
"Is that what you were thinking when you brushed my nose?" Camilo asked. Spencer nodded then gasped again.

He leaned in and brushed his nose against Camilo's again. This time his smile was all he could see. Camilo felt the warm buzz again but this time where he had a tiny scar beneath his lip.

"Apparently I can heal you with a thought and a nose touch. That little gift is only for you." Spencer smiled.

"Witch!!" Camilo cried out and laughed maniacally till Spencer tackled him. At first it was arms and legs, laughing and squealing. Till Spencer pressed his lips to Camilo's after pinning him down.

"I love you." Spencer whisper against Camilo's lips. Camilo grinned but his cheeky streak was still completely in control.
"I know." He said with a smirk. Spencer shoved him playfully and gave him a look that proved Camilo's undoing.
"Uhh I love you, I love you, I love you.."
he prattled on until Spencer kissed him.

Camilo could have stayed in that moment forever.