Nico and Will - Beginning at the Infirmary [Solangelo fanfic]

Cutting Bandages

As Nico rolled out bandages, Will placed his right hand over Nico's left. Nico's knuckles prickled at the touch. Will dragged out a 5-foot length of fabric and cut it using a pair of steel scissors he'd grabbed from one of the nearby carts. Nico let loose a breath he wasn't aware that he was holding. Will released his grip and grabbed his newly cut piece of fabric. 

"Most of the patients still here have deep wounds, typically across their chest and backs. Others are struggling with sensitive injuries to the head," Will explained. "We need more 5-foot and 3-foot bandages. Do you think you can cut some of those for a while?"

Nico nodded, unsheathing his Stygian Iron sword. 

Will laughed, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "I know you're attached to that death trap, Death Boy, but you'll make a cleaner cut using these," Will said, pressing a pair of steel scissors into Nico's hand. Will's fingers lingered on the surface of Nico's palm for a heartbeat longer than necessary before letting his arm fall back to his side. 

"Fine," Nico responded. He put away his sword and began cutting bandages. 

Will grabbed some bottles from another pocket of his sleeping bag and began turning back towards the white beds in front of them. "Just shout if you need me," he told Nico with a wink. 

"I won't," Nico grumbled, dropping his gaze. His palm still tingled where Will's fingers had touched his skin. 

Nico worked in silence, snipping varying lengths of fabric and placing them into separate piles. All the while, he stole glances of Will shuffling around the room in swift, almost-choreographed movements. Will would flash a smile at Lou Ellen as she collected herself to return to the Hecate cabin while bringing a glass of nectar to Butch, the bulky son of Iris, on the other side of the room. Every so often, Will would catch Nico's eye and smirk as he tucked a stray blond curl behind his ear. Nico immediately return his gaze to the bandages in his hands as his cheeks began to glow pink with heat. 

Once Nico had cut his way through a roll of linen, his hands raced towards Will's sleeping bag and snatched another roll. Surprised at his own urgency, Nico felt his fingers vibrate with energy as he continued to work. As long as there are still bandages to be cut, I need to be here, Nico told himself. As soon as I'm finished, I'll leave. However, Nico found himself slowing his pace. He'd unravel and ravel linen cloth five or six times before finally making a cut. 

At times, Nico found his traitorous limbs inching towards Will's baby blue sleeping bag. He inhaled against his will, taking in the scent of hearty campfires, cinnamon, and . . . 

"Nice work, Nico," Will said peering down at two neat piles of fabric--shattering Nico's concentration. "Let's head down to dinner. It's just about time." He extended a callused hand to help Nico up. 

The temptation to reach out and accept it snaked around Nico's chest for half a second. Nico shook his head to clear his mind and pushed his palms down on the floor to lift himself up. He could hear his own heartbeat echoing in his ears while Will fell into stride next to him as they walked out the door.