My Moonbow (Solangelo)

Chapter 11

"Would you like to sweep the floor or clean up the med stuff?" Will asked Nico, slipping his hands inside his med coat's pockets.

"Uh– sweep the floor." He answered avoiding to meet Will's eyes for too long. The blonde  nodded, and turned his back to him to look for the broom in one of the closets. He handed it to him and went to look for the alcohol to clean up the stuff.

"So... how's your week been?" Will asked, pretending to start small talk.

Nico gave in, and replying with an, "Okay, I guess. Not much, else from –well– being here until two days ago and the capture the flag game on Friday." Will nodded with his head, as if he hadn't already known all that.

"That's cool." He was cleaning up some scissors with some alcohol.

"Yep, I guess." Nico shrugged as he continued to sweep. "And you?"

"Well... I made a surgery yesterday, but you already know that." He smiled a little as he put a pair of scissors away and moved on to another. "And, yeah, that. Nothing much except for taking care of the cutest yet the most annoying patient in the camp." He shot Nico a smile over his shoulder that made butterflies flutter inside his stomach.

"What the heck?" Nico managed a small to laugh. "You said you were only taking care of me."

"And it's true." Will said defensively, not turning to look at him this time.

"Then what is that about 'the cutest yet the most annoying patient in camp' you were taking care of?"

"Oh, come on, don't be stupid."

Nico frowned. Had he been taking about him again? The little flirting game was getting a bit repetitive by now, if that was what he was doing at all.

"I don't understand why you keep calling me cute." Nico rolled his eyes, turning away from him. Will looked at him, resting his arm over his seat's back.

"Maybe because you are?" Nico glanced back at him, and noticed Will had turned serious as well.

"I'm not." He replied flatly. He could hear his heartbeat as he met Will's eyes. He had to look away to prevent a blush. 

He only looked up again when he felt a hand in his shoulder, only to meet those eyes again. Will had stood up, and was looking at him with a small smile.

"Yes, you are." He insisted. "That pale olive color of your skin... That messy hair of yours... That smile..." Both his hands carefully climbed to the sides of Nico's cheeks, and he smiled a little. "It's true, though." He continued slowly, tilting his head slightly to the side. "You're not cute... Your truly beautiful."

The butterflies inside Nico's guts seemed to be having a party. His cheeks were turning pink under Will's warm hands. Their faces were so close to each other that Nico only had to lean forward a little bit to lock them both into a kiss. 

He swallowed, his brain not working well enough to form a reply to all that. The only thing he could think of was those bright blue eyes in front of him. He noticed them drifting drifting downwards, as if hesitating, and then back up. 

"If you could only see what I see..." His voice was even quieter now, a soft whisper sending shivers down Nico's spine. He wanted to kiss him. So bad. But probably Will didn't feel the same way towards him, and the last thing Nico wanted was to screw up things between them.

"Why are you so good to me...?"

Will smiled a little, and Nico noticed the rosy color of his cheeks as he opened his mouth to muster a reply. 

"Maybe... because I'm nice to everyone?" Will shrugged a little. Nico couldn't help but feeling a little disappointed. Then Will laughed.

"What?" Nico frowned, confused at this sudden reaction.

"I'm kidding..." He looked at him, and continued when he saw the blank expression in Nico's face. "Holy Hera, I can't believe you're so dense!" Will ran a hand through his blonde hair, still laughing out loud. Nico was looking at him like he was growing a third arm.

"Wha–? Why–?" 

"You're not figuring it out on your own, are you?" Will muttered, shaking his head. He took a deep breath. "I like you, Nico." 

Nico blinked. What? His heart made a backflip inside his ribcage, and then seemed to start tapdancing. William Solace liked him. WILLIAM SOLACE LIKED HIM. But then told his heart to slow down. Probably he didn't mean it like that.

"Wha–? What–?" It came out more harshly than he meant to; but he wasn't getting his hopes up for nothing.

"I–I thought it was obvious." Will rubbed his neck, and this time the color of his cheeks was deeper red.

Nico's jaw dropped. It took him a second to compose his feelings and himself enough to speak again. "Wait. Wait." He had taken a step back from the other guy as he made his confession. "You like me?" It sounded ridiculous as he said it. "Like– like like me?"

"Yeah," a nervous chuckle escaped Will's lips. "I– like like you. As in, more than friends."

Now Nico's heart was performing its tap dance again. Oh. My. Gods. Was this a dream? He really hoped it wasn't. Was Will playing with him? No, someone as nice as him wouldn't do that... or would he? No, don't think like that, he told himself. 

He looked down. His cheeks were burning hot, but his lips were playing into a small smile. He bit his lip, hesitant to say what he had wanted to say for so long. Just go with it, part of him urged. Run away, you will end up hurting him, another part warned. Logic or impulse? 

"I like you too." He muttered rapidly, immediately regretting it. There was no way back now. Unless Will hadn't heard.

"Really?" Will looked up, wanting to meet Nico's eyes but he was still looking down. Nico just nodded his head.

"Wow..." Will grinned. Nico glanced up briefly, just to find him grinning like a kid in a candy store. Gods, how could he not like him?! 

"Yeah..." Nico was trying to shut up that little voice that kept telling him to stay away from Will. He really wanted him. He made him happy. And Nico hadn't been happy for so long...