Will and Nico

Part 13

WILL

I look around, but he's gone. I can't see him anywhere. I can't believe it, can't comprehend it. I remember how much I'd liked him when I first saw him, when he first came to camp. He was practically my first crush.
I'd put it aside to help him, to make sure he was looking after himself. I'd spent all this time being professional. But he's gay. It could happen. He could like me back.
But he wouldn't like me. He liked Percy. I'm as far from Percy as could possibly be. I can't fight, I haven't saved the world. I'm nowhere near Nico's level.
'I'm so happy I could kiss you.' Reve says as I head into the infirmary.
'Please don't.' I say. He rolls his eyes as Kayla tackles me into a hug.
'I can't believe you did it. We actually won.' She says, 'I really thought you wouldn't win.'
'Yeah well.' I say, still distracted. Kayla narrows her eyes.
'I know that look.' She says.
'What look?'
'That look.' She says, pointing to my face, 'you have a crush.'
'What? I don't...what?' I say, flustered. I don't understand how she was able to read me so instantly.
'Who is it?' She asks, incredibly curious.
'Who's the lucky guy?' Reve says, in an infuriating tone.
'No one. There's no one.' I insists, heading to the back office.
'Uhuh, sure.' Kayla says.
'I'm serious.' I say. I gather a couple things into a box. Antibiotics, pain meds, bandages. The basics.
'What's that for?' Reve asks.
'Nothing.' I say.
'You're being very secretive.' Kayla continues.
'I'll be back in a bit.' I say, leaving the infirmary before they can ask any more follow up questions.
It's dark out now. Everyone's more or less gone back to their cabins. A couple people mill about, but not a lot.
I stop outside Nico's cabin, debating whether to knock or not. Should I leave the box of things outside for him, or should I give them to him myself.
'Hi.' He says, making me jump. I turn around and see him standing behind me. He's watching me, curious.
'Hey. Hi. I was just...I...' I raise the box, 'for the bite.' 'Oh. Thanks. Thank you.' He says. He steps forward slightly and takes it from me, 'I was just going to put hand sanitiser on it but this is probably better.'
'Seriously?' I ask. His terrible medical knowledge and application enough to take me out of my crush mode.
'Yeah, well, it's what I did most of the last few months.' He sits on the bench and opens the box to look through it, 'a lot of the places we stopped at only had a limited supply of things. Most places have hand sanitiser, so...' he trails off.
'That is...not great.' I say. I watch as he takes out some of the things from the box, completely unaware of how to use them. I let him try for a moment, fairly entertained, 'here.' I say, taking it from him, 'do you mind?'
'Yeah, I mean no. You can.' He says. He won't meet my eyes. I sit on the bench beside him, and once again have his leg in my lap. I clean it up, sterilise it, and bandage it up. The camp is empty now. It's just us.
'There you go.' I say, as I finish.
'Thanks.' He says.
He doesn't move his leg from my lap quite yet. He lingers. I can tell. I look up and he's staring at me. Unwavering.
I kiss him. Without thinking and without meaning. I just lean in and close the distance in an instant. And he kisses me back. My hand rests against his knee, and he holds a hand to my cheek.
And then it's over. He's breathing heavily. More out of breathe than our sword fight in the forest. I've never felt more at ease. More right.
'I...' He says, but stays silent. I look at him, and he stands up, 'I should...thank you, for this-' he gestures to his leg, 'I need to...I...should go.'
And he goes into his cabin, shutting the door behind him. I'm still sitting, reeling from the kiss. I don't understand how it happened, it just did. And now he's gone again.