Gustholomule 🌈🌈

Chapter 5

Gus' POV

I woke up the next morning to the dreary light swarming through the window. My vision had become slightly blurry, like every other time I wake up from a long sleep. What time was it? I assumed I would be colder, given we had only used Matt's cape as a blanket, but I hadn't. I lifted my hand up instinctively to rub my eyes and sit up but stopped when I felt a familiar, gentle hold around my waist. I turned and looked at Mattholomule, his arms placed softly on my side and just under my own arm. His body was pressed to mine, he must have grabbed me in our sleep. His face was relaxed, he was still soundly asleep himself. In an attempt to not wake him, I lied back down, allowing him to hold me. I found myself very at peace in that moment, Matts grasp soothing me and I became relaxed. I rested my own hand where his lay on my waist and gently held it. I shouldn't be doing this, Matt wasn't interested in me at all and I cringed at the memory of last night. I almost kissed him! What was I thinking? It must've been late as I began to hear the shuffling of students in the halls, making a fair racket. Shortly after I started getting uncomfortable on the hard ground and meticulously removed myself from the cuddle. I kneeled and softly pushed Matts shoulder.

"Matt, come on man we've gotta get up." 

He mumbled something and groaned, "Aw dude you're worse than my moms!" and Matt sat up, completely oblivious to what he had been doing as we slept. When he sat I watched as his messy brown hair fell over his ears and I felt that stomach twisting again and my ears flicked. Mattholomule rubbed his eyes and yawned loudly. "What do we have to do today?" He questioned, his eyes sleepy.

"Uhm," I panicked, I was a bit preoccupied when Luz was talking yesterday and couldn't remember a thing other than, him. "I-I don't know, I forgot." I admitted.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" He asked me, pointing towards the doorway. "The cafeteria isn't the loveliest but it's all we really have!" he giggled, fixing his cape and other accessories back on. My ears went a soft red.

"I, uhm- sure! I am a bit hungry," I agreed, holding my aching stomach.

"I think we have to go to the gym after though, they still need to figure out how we're gonna get rid of this," Matt explained with no context, although it was not needed and I inferred he was talking about The Collector. Once we sorted ourselves out we both stood up, albeit a bit clumsily and I tripped over Mattholomule but he had caught me. My ears and cheeks went red again as I looked back at him and I steadied myself. We walked out of the room and walked together down the hall into the cafeteria. In there we got some probably expired food and devoured it quickly. 

Afterwards, we made our way to the gym where, of course, we found everyone huddled in. I noticed Hunter sitting a bit away, chatting to Amity about something. I felt my hand lightly touch Matt's and the slightest feeling of desire ruptured in my chest. I wanted to hold his hand again like last night but I couldn't do it here, not right now. I nervously said a quick goodbye to Matt and hurried over to Hunter anxiously, sitting next to him, tapping my fingers together impatiently. Willow and Amity gave me a look but didn't ask what on The Isles I was so stressed about. 

"Hunter, can I tell you something?" I leaned over, whispering to keep out of anyone else's earshot. Hunter furrowed his eyebrows and blinked at me, studying my face as if trying to piece together my emotions based on my worried expression alone.

"Sure Gus? What about exactly?" He asked, flashing a quick glance at Mattholomule, who was talking to Jerbo about something across the gym, his arms flailing about as he expressed something that seemed to stress him. I must've stared and him for longer than I had meant. "Him?" Hunter asked, glancing at Matt again. I nodded, embarrassed.

"We stayed up late," I explained, tugging on my Illusionist earring nervously. "Something happened, we uh-" I began, "we were on the floor and we started to hold hands and he-" my throat went dry and by the look on Hunter's face I was growing red again. "He put his head on my shoulder and we were talking, and I was stroking his head and, gosh-" a shy smile lingered on my face and I had begun gushing, "he was so pretty I-I just let all my feelings out and-and," I stopped myself, was I really about to admit these feelings? "We almost kissed!" I blurted out at last, maybe a bit louder than I intended to which granted me a few suspicious glances from around the gym and I covered my mouth with my hand, very obviously a bright scarlet colour appearing on my cheeks. Amity was staring now.

"You what?" she exclaimed, withdrawing her voice into a whisper quickly. She and Willow had gotten up and accompanied my side politely. Titan I was embarrassed.

"I put my hand on his cheek!" I confessed, burying my red face into my palms. "And-and he put his on my waist I just-" my voice began to crack and I shook my head, "I'm just so confused! I don't know what his deal is and gosh, I'd love to know!" I exclaimed, extremely frustrated. Amity gifted me a sympathetic smile, resting her hand on my shoulder.

"You know Gus, I felt the same about Luz," she started, "I was upset, I just wanted to know whether she liked me or not." Amity looked up and I followed her gaze towards Luz and she smiled. "And it turns out she did, but she had trouble realising what she was feeling." Amity laughed gently, "It's just how it is with their types, always super emotive until they're not." She was looking at Matt now and I shook my head.

"He doesn't even like me! At least, I think? He hated me just a little while ago!" I urged and Willow grinned and the three older kids giggled.

"He was about to kiss you too Gus! He wouldn't have put his hand on your side if he didn't like you!" Willow chimed in quietly, and I felt my ears go red. "You should shoot your shot, I can bet any amount of snails he feels the same."

"Yo-you really think so?" I asked, a bit unconfident, Willow nodded. "Well- well maybe I should talk to him, I-I'd like to." I professed, rubbing my hands together as a soft smile crept onto my face, my cheeks flushing.