With another sigh, Will sat down next to him, leaving a bit of space between them. “Adell yanked my hair earlier, that's all. It hurt, so I cried.” Their hands were still loosely together.
Crow frowned, propping his chin up on his hand, his arm balancing on his knee. His entire focus was on Will. “Why'd he do that?”
Will looked up to Crow in surprise. “Wait, you're not mad?”
“I'm mad.” He answered flatly.
“Oh...” Will looked ahead of them to the people walking by on the cold autumn day. “They... want me to be king.”
“They?”
“Rhys and Adell.”
“Mmm,” Crow closed his eyes for a moment. Curious, Will looked over to him when he didn't say anything right away. “Just,” he opened his eyes, “ignore them.”
“What?”
“They can say whatever they want, but they can't make you be king, or anything.”
Will groaned, sinking down into the bench. “Do you really wanna be the knight of some lame title-less guy though?”
“Yep.” Crow chuckled, adjusting his hand so their fingers looped together more securely. “I wanna be your knight.”
Will chuckled half-heartedly, “You make it sound like some weird declaration of love.”
“Don't you feel it?”
“Hm?” Will asked, sliding father down the bench, his head now lower than the top of the back. “Feel what? My head throbbing? Your pulse in our hands? You're gonna have to be a bit more clear right now.”
“My love.”
Will looked up to Crow, kind of annoyed at first. Crow had a slight smile on his face, pretty genuine, and a really good tilt of his chin. It made the light cast his face in a really sexy way. “You have to stop looking like that.”
“Like what?” Crow asked, smiling wider.
“Like you're trying to seduce me.” Will answered bluntly, looking straight ahead. When Crow started to laugh, a blush formed on Will's cheeks.
“You know, Will, you suck at lying.” Crow said after he was finished laughing. Once more, Will glared up toward him, and it just made Crow smile. “I know you just wanted to hang out, but I'm gonna guess you're here for a reason, too?”
Will looked straight ahead, slid an inch lower and then sighed. Crow waited patiently, watching Will, as the guilt began to eat him up. It took hardly a minute before Will straightened up, pulled his hand away from Crow, and created a bridge out of his hands for his chin to rest on. “Can I borrow Invictus?”
That happy, soothing atmosphere that had been around them fractured and disappeared. The air became tense, and suddenly the coolness of the daytime air was poking needles at their bare skin. Their noses were beginning to turn red, and the feeling of warmth was leaving their fingertips.
Crow stood up, their hands releasing from each other in the process. He took a few steps out from the bench to think clearly in the cool air. Will leaned his body forward, trying to get a glimpse at Crow's pondering face, but he couldn't make it out.
“No.” Crow replied, very firm and hard. “You can't have it.” He didn't even turn to look at Will before answering.
“Why not?” Will asked. With that, Crow turned to look Will's face over. He had a genuine look of curiosity, so much so, it almost surprised Crow.
Crow's eyes thinned a bit. Just who's talking here? Will or Matéas? “Because the last time an agent of his used the sword, Phyte took his soul out, ate it, and is now happily using his body as a vessel.” Will's eyes slowly slid over to the intense look in Crow's sapphire eyes. “That's why not.”
Will sighed, closing his eyes as he spoke. “I can't just sit here and not help him, Crow.”
“Why not?” Crow asked, “If he's causing you any pain-”
“It's guilt.” Will cut in. Crow stopped, leaning back a bit to take a deep breath. Will raised up his left arm, straightening it out. “This glyph is getting bigger, darker, and the longer it's on me...the more I can feel his pain and sadness.” He looked up to Crow, “Besides, I want to know what he's forgotten.” Crow's jaw loosened and he looked away suddenly. Will tilted his head, “Wait... Do you know?” Crow shrugged his shoulders, not making eye contact.
Crow shook his head, letting out another sigh. Then he hung his head and answered softly, “I can't tell you. Matéas will hear.”
“So what?” Will stood up suddenly. “Tell me. What's Phyte keeping from him?”
Crow reached up, grabbed Will's forearms and pulled him to meet his face. Nose-to-nose, Crow spoke very softly to Will, “I can't tell you.”
Looking into Crow's blue eyes this closely, Will could feel the warmth of his hands rise up his forearms. Their chests were nearly together. Maybe he's not telling me to protect me. Will thought, and realizing this dedication from Crow renewed his blush on his cheeks. Slowly, Crow released him, and the two took a few steps away from each other.
With Will looking off to the side, Crow looked up to the darkening sky. Another rainstorm was coming in for the afternoon. That felt too short. I would've liked to hang out with him longer. Crow thought, then smiled when he looked at Will. “Hey.” The word caught Will's attention immediately, bringing that tan face and vibrant blue eyes toward Crow's. “You wanna go out?”
Confused, Will's brows furrowed, “Uh, we are out.” Crow burst out laughing, so loudly and suddenly that Will took a step back to cover his ears. “What? What's funny!” He cried, feeling his blush brighten. “Stop laughing!”
Crow leaned over himself a bit to catch his breath. When he straightened up to address Will again, a little chuckle escaped his lips upon seeing that embarrassed look on Will's face. “I meant: do you wanna date me?” Slowly, Will's hands dropped from his ears, but he still looked confused. Crow laughed a bit, briefly, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. Dear god, I forgot how cute he can be. He smiled a bit, taking a step toward Will. “Boyfriend, is what I mean, Will.”
“Oh.” Will nodded, then suddenly it clicked what Crow was asking. He whined, covering his face with both of his hands under his bangs, “Why would you ask that? Right now?”
Crow laughed again, feeling his own cheeks starting to burn with a blush. “Do you not wanna? I'm not that bad, am I?”
“That's not the point!” Will whined again, swinging an arm at Crow to push him away. “You don't just ask that out of the blue! Th-there's rules you need to follow.”
“Like?” Crow asked, raising a brow, a smile still stuck to his face.
Will shook his head, one hand still covering his face. “Like first you get to know them, then you realize you like them, and then you confess, and then you go out and then you--”
“Kiss.” Crow laughed. Will uncovered his face to shoot a glare at him, but it held no power considering the blushing face it was coming from. Covering his mouth again, Crow closed his eyes, “Wouldn't you say we've done all of that, albeit a bit out of order?”
Will stared at Crow for a moment, and then he recalled their kiss from last night. His head bumping against the mattress, the hot steamy feeling that lurked in his gut, and the blush that scorched his cheeks.
Crow watched Will's face turn a deeper pink. He was really enjoying being able to see these shades of color dance across Will's face, but it was probably enough torment now. “So, what's your reason to reject me?”
Will snapped back to reality, his blush slowly fading away. He looked away from Crow, his hands lacing together nervously. “I have to have one?” Crow didn't say anything, but his expression was plain now. “I guess, I'm scared.” Will glanced over to Crow quickly for any change in his mood, and then looked away again. “I don't want to say yes and then realize that I don't... I mean, what if I don't..?” He sighed a bit, looking down, unable to form the sentence properly. Crow waited patiently. Just when he looked up to check the status of the clouds, Will spoke, “I don't know if I like you in the same way that you like me.”
“That's okay.” Crow smiled when Will looked up to him surprised. “Ask yourself these two questions: are you comfortable around me, and, can you see yourself having sex with me?” Before Will could answer, his words muddled by his flabbergasting, Crow took his right hand and started to guide him out of the courtyard and down the streets. “I'll walk you home before it starts raining.”
“But, Crow,” Will blabbered.
“Nope, you can answer me later.” Crow chuckled. “And no, you can't borrow Invictus.”
It began to gently mist on their way back to the Bel'vaz estate. They didn't talk, but both of the boys could feel their heart-beats echoing together through their hands as they walked. Crow stopped nearly a block from the estate before turning to Will.
“You can get back from here right?” he asked, smiling to him.
Will nodded a bit, looking to their hands, still clasped together. “Yeah.” Crow eased his grip loose and they parted hands. He patted Will's shoulder a bit and then began to walk on his way to the barracks. “Crow!” Will called to him when he was barely six-feet away. Crow stopped instantly, turning to face him fully. “You'll still come to the concert, won't you?”
At that, Crow grinned, waved his hand up over his head. “You bet'cha. Later.” He waved again, then turned and started walking away again.
“I'll hold you to it!” Will shouted after him, smiling a bit.
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