How to Save a Life

fourteen

• Leo •

  I won Nico a giant stuffed Batman and we lugged it and my Charmander around with us as we stopped to eat dinner at Panda Express. I paid again, before we sat down and began digging into the food. It was around nine o'clock, but we already had ridden all of the rides we wanted to. I didn't want to go home. I was having way too much fun with Nico to let it just end.

  We rode the Sky Screamer again because Nico demanded for us to do it and I wasn't about to say no to his puppy eyes.

  The ride began and we went up in the air. When we got to the top, I couldn't help but look to Nico. His hair was whipped back from the wind and his cheeks were a bit rosy from the cold, but I don't think I've ever seen someone - something - so beautiful. He had his eyes closed, a soft smile playing on his lips. He looked so serene and alive and I felt butterflies swarm in my stomach.

  The ride ended and when we got off of it, I laced my fingers with Nico's again. He smiled, before biting his lip and looking at the ground. We rode the Texas Giant and the Titan one more time, before we began heading home. Nico stopped at the exit, looking towards the big fountain and garden positioned at the front. He took a deep breath and looked at all the roller coasters around us.

  "What are you doing?" I whispered softly, not wanting to disturb his peace.

  "Committing it to memory."

  I let him do his thing before we left right as the park was closing. As we were walking towards the bus, he stood close to me, our shoulders brushing occasionally. It was colder, considering it was dark, and Nico's cheeks were pink and probably wind chapped. Mine probably were too, but I wasn't all that cold. I mean, considering.

  "Wait," he whispered, before turning towards me and wrapping his arms around me, pressing his face into my neck. "First of all, it's cold as balls. Second of all, thank you."

  "You're the one that recommended it," I reminded him.

  "You're the one that was here first," he whispered. "I haven't had this much fun in and long time and I'm glad it was with you."

  "Me too," I agreed, before he blushed and pulled away. We got to the bus and got on it. Nico leaned his head against my shoulder, watching the small city pass by us. We finally got to the hotel and I saw him swipe some brochures from the display rack in the lobby, before we entered the room. He set my Charmander and his Batman on the bed, before kicking off his shoes, but still stayed huddled in his jacket as he plopped down on the couch and curled up. I grinned and sat next to him, watching as he instantly laid against me. I wrapped my arms around him, before flicking the TV on. I turned it to a random channel and some weird infomercial began playing. That's all I could find until I stumbled upon a channel playing Deadpool, so Nico and I settled for it.

  He took his jacket off, but still stayed cuddled against me. He shifted and laid his head down in my lap, stretching his legs over the couch. My fingers instantly started playing with his hair. It was soft and fluffy as I worked my fingers through it.

  I looked down at him. His eyes were closed. I didn't know if he was asleep or just really enjoying the attention. I watched the rest of Deadpool, before flicking the TV off. Nico sat up and I pulled my fingers from his hair, before hearing him softly murmur, "Leo..."

• Nico • (I don't know why I switched povs it's like those cringey fanfics I used to write when I was in eighth grade where the povs constantly switched)

  "Leo," I whispered, catching his attention. Our eyes met and I felt my heart flutter, an emotion I had never experienced before tugging at my gut and making my heart beat radically and all he did was look at me. He didn't say anything, it was almost like he couldn't. I wanted to know why. I wanted to know everything about Leo, from the way his lips tasted to his deepest fears and biggest dreams. I wanted to know absolutely everything I possibly could.

I grabbed his warm cheeks and pulled him closer to me, our lips meeting.

Fireworks danced behind my eyes. Something ignited in my chest and I just wanted moremoremore. He tasted like cinnamon and I was so caught up in it that I barely realized he wasn't kissing back.

I pulled away and looked into his eyes. Realization settled into my mind. I had kissed Leo Valdez.

Panic surged in my chest. Why did I do that?

I quickly pulled away and stood up.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I don't know what I was-"

"Nico-"

I ignored him and stormed out of his hotel room, walking down the hallway. I heard him call my name, but I just kept walking, tears burning my eyes as my stomach churned. He probably hates me. I just lost one of the most precious things to me and wow, I'm such a fucking idiot.

"Nico, hey!" he called, sounding closer. I braced myself for whatever he had to say, but instead I felt him grab my wrist and flip me around so my back was up against the wall and his lips were against mine again.

Wait, what?

He was kissing me.

Leo was kissing me.

I immediately began to kiss him back, pulling him as close to me as I could. One of his hands remained on the wall and the other slipped to my waist. His lips were soft and warm as he kissed me gently, almost like he was scared to break me.

He pulled away and stared at me, before his eyes flickered to my lips, then back up to my eyes.

He pulled me back to the hotel. He closed the door and locked it, before heading to the bedroom and laying me down on the bed. His eyes rarely left mine. They seemed to be asking, "is this okay?"

I kissed him, cradling his face in my hands. I pushed his jacket off of his shoulders, before feeling him tug at the bottom of my shirt. I wanted to tell him that I loved him, but the words felt so worn-out and over used.

So I showed him.