Addicted

9

Will ran his fingers through his hair, almost aware of Nico sitting next to him. It was the fifth day of his visit, and they'd spent a lot of time together by then. Nico was sketching absentmindedly, rhythmically puffing air out of his lips. "Are you done yet?" Will complained. 
"No! Stay still."
"Or what?"
"I'll kill you." Will laughed, but a glare from Nico straightened him out. "Okay, I'm done now." Nico stood up and grabbed a roll of tape from the kitchen before going over to the fridge. "You don't have any photos." He stuck the drawing to the refrigerator, then grinned. Will snickered. "What are you, a first grader?" 
"Well, you have to start somewhere!" Nico protested good-naturedly. The portrait fluttered as Will bent over to get a better look at it. "Wow. That's... pretty incredible." He plucked it off the fridge and carefully peeled the tape off. "Hey!" Nico said. 
"Nope, this goes on the wall." Will smiled as he re-taped it to the wall in the stairway. "See? Better." Will turned back to the boy behind him, who stood red and stiff at the idea of his drawing on the wall. "You're blushing." He teased. 
"Shut up, I am not." Nico pulled his hood over his face. "Come on, let's fill the walls up," Will suggested. "You're right, I have no pictures." At that, Nico looked up, the blush faded slightly, and Will grinned. "Take your hood off and let's go out. I'll take my camera." Nico playfully shook his head, pulling his hood farther down. "Make me."
Will smirked, then grabbed the sides of his hood and pulled him closer. "Take it off," he whispered, his breath close to the other boy's face. Nico looked up, their noses almost touching, wide-eyed and silent. 

Nico prayed Will couldn't see the panic in his eyes. He knew he was only teasing, but having him in front of him so close was making his heart pump faster and faster, aching immensely.  Please stop. It's too much. It's too unfair.  He felt his throat tighten and prayed he wouldn't cry.

Staring directly into Nico's eyes, Will felt his face heat, breath hitching, and pushed away quickly. "Ah- I'll go get the camera." He muttered, turning to run up to his room. He closed the door behind him softly and took a few breaths. What was going on? He felt himself sink to the floor, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes. What is this feeling? Why is it so... annoying? Why does it feel so strange?  He wrapped his arms around his stomach as if his insides were fluttering. Nico's waiting for me downstairs. Nico. There's that fluttering again. How's this possible? I've only known him for a few days! And yet... I always want to be spending time with him...  His mind drifted back to just a few days ago when Nico had fallen asleep on the stairs. He remembered how he picked him up and how Nico had awoken just long enough to say, "Will, you're so pretty." Will felt a warmth inside him rise from his chest to his face. "Oh, God," he prayed quietly. "Help me."

Downstairs, Nico paced the length of the kitchen. His hands were stuck firmly in his pockets, and he had taken his hood off for fear that Will might pull something like that again. God, please. Don't let that happen again. I can't afford close calls like that- I've been lying to him. if he gets too close to me, he'll be hurt when he finds out the truth. Nico thought about his feelings for Will, and about how the truth about them could make Will believe that Nico was using him or taking advantage of him. Am I taking advantage of him?  At that moment, Will emerged from the staircase, camera in hand and a cheerful smile on his face. "Let's go take some pictures."