Please remember the not owning part.
Computer had hysterics so wasn't able to update this weekend. Here you go! You've been waiting long enough.
Love,
Fiery Peace
Part 5Time passed quickly and I continued to grow stronger. I found that I didn't need to use my gym period as "naptime" anymore. I rather enjoyed sitting with my friends and ragging them on their fighting skills. Happily, my doctor felt that I wouldn't need the wheelchair anymore by the month's end. I couldn't wait to get out of this semi-restricting contraption and to finally start participating in gym again. I itched for a game of Save the Citizen.
However, my health was not my main concern. Will occupied my thoughts a lot. He seemed a little different, almost a little distant. I mean, he stayed his usual jovial self, but there seemed a touch of sadness to him lately that had me concerned. He didn't seem to have much of an appetite and would tune out when he was sitting with the rest of us. One day during gym Boomer paired Will and Leon, the lion-freak, together.
"Hothead," Boomer bellowed out my hated nickname, "I want you to point out the flaws in these two's defenses. Begin."
Will and Leon squared up against one another as I rolled over. Will held back his strength and fought fairly against the normal-strengthed Leon. To my surprise, Leon grabbed Will's ass. Will stiffened in shock. When Leon saw that Will was distracted he then flipped Will over on the mat and seemed to almost cop a feel on his opponent as he pinned him.
"What the hell was that?" I sputtered indignantly on Will's behalf as I rolled forward in my wheelchair.
"Just used a technique to subdue my opponent," Leon purred cheekily as he winked towards Will's stunned form.
Will was sitting on the mat with a look of absolute disgust and astonishment on his face. Only Leon's cat-like reflexes saved him from being burnt to a crisp with one of my fireballs. I was fucking furious! It was only Will grabbing my arms from behind that allowed Leon to stay with the living.
"Hand-to-hand combat is not about cheap tricks!" I growled angrily, "You have no right to treat someone the way you just did! What kind of a pervert are you? Asshole!"
"What is going on over here?" Coach Boomer bellowed, "We are supposed to be working on our moves. Not using our powers."
"I'm sorry coach," Leon purred silkily, "I used an illegal move on Will that Warren didn't appreciate. I will refrain from using such moves in the future."
"What moves?" Boomer asked curiously.
"Nothing Coach," Will answered quickly, "I was only taken by surprise. Everything is fine. Right Warren?"
I looked over at Will and saw his silent pleading expression. He didn't want to be "outed" in front of the whole school.
"Yes," I hissed as the coach went to work with some others, "But if you ever do something like that again Leon, I'll fry you where you stand."
"Yes sir," Leon chuckled as he went to walk away, but I wheeled in front of him and grabbed the front of his shirt with both my fists.
"You got that?" I gritted out as I lit my fists, as I had done with Will in the cafeteria so long ago, causing Leon to back off.
"Whatever," Leon snapped but hurried off in the opposite direction.
"Will…" I began only to be interrupted.
"It's fine," he said testily moving to push me towards our friends sitting in the lower bleachers, "Nothing to worry about."
I glared over in Leon's direction and noticed that he was staring at Will as Will leaned over to get a water bottle out of his gym bag. The little shit was checking out Will's butt! I rolled my wheelchair in Leon's way to block his view and flipped him off.
"How dare he check out my Will?" I thought savagely and then started in surprise, "Since when is Will mine?"
"What was that all about?" Layla asked Will angrily, "Did Leon just do what I think he just did?"
"It's fine Layla," Will soothed, "No big deal."
"What do you mean 'no big deal?'" Layla hissed as she started in on a lecture on the proper treatment of others.
I tuned out Will and Layla's argument as I sat and pondered over my use of the "my" in reference to Will.
"I didn't mean 'my' as in 'my lover' or 'my boyfriend,'" I argued with myself, "I just used 'my' in reference to 'my friend' or 'my little brother.' That's all I meant."
"Leave me alone!" I heard Will growl as I tuned back into the conversation.
The bell rang for the end of school and Will stalked out of the gym leaving Layla, Zach, Ethan, Maj, and myself sitting in stunned silence.
"What is going on with Will?" Magenta asked as she stood to gather her things, "He has been awfully moody lately."
"Yeah," Ethan chimed in, "This isn't like Will at all.
"Have any of you seen Leon giving Will a hard time?" I asked quietly, "Could Leon have figured out that Will is gay and has started harassing him?"
"No," Layla said, "Leon is openly bi. He flirts with everybody. I don't think that is the cause of Will's behavior lately, but something makes me think that Leon may have a crush on Will."
"What?" I growled dangerously.
"Dude. Leon is only this forward with the people he has an interest in," Zach said as he quirked his mouth at me in amusement.
"Will is not interested," I said not even realizing that I had answered on Will's behalf, "Leon better keep his paws, literally, to himself."
I rolled out of the gym towards the bus completely missing the amused glances my friends exchanged behind my back. Will was waiting for me when I reached the bus and he stored my wheelchair while I claimed us a seat. We were the first students on the bus.
"Are you alright," I asked Will noticing the tension in his body.
"I'm fine," he said tersely looking outside.
"Don't bullshit a bullshitter Will," I said as he turned to me in astonishment.
Will could be so naïve it was almost laughable.
"Are you worried that Leon has figured out that your gay?" I asked him bluntly.
"Yeah," Will said softly as his cheeks colored a little.
"He doesn't know," I said soothing my friend, "Leon's bisexual and interested in you. That was his form of flirting."
"What?" Will exclaimed, "Oh, gross!"
"I'll roast him for you," I said earnestly to make him laugh, "But seriously, I want you to let him know to back off. He had no right to do that to you. Show him a little of that Stronghold right hook."
"I'd kill him!" Will said shocked but grinning at the same time.
"Good," I purred imitating Leon.
"Warren!" Will laughed punching me in the arm.
"Is anything else bothering you?" I asked sobering up with the hopes that he would confide in me.
"Nope. Nothing," Will denied as he turned his head away to look back out the window.
Will apologized to Layla on the bus and everybody chatted happily on the way home. Will stayed for dinner at my house. He entertained my mother and I with stories of the less than stellar performance of The Commander at a recent camping experience. Will's dad may be able to save the world, but he can't put up a tent to save his life. Long after Will had gone home, I sat in my room and thought about how he had looked that night. He seemed tired and a little frazzled. Something was up and I sure as hell was going to figure out what that was? Will had lied to me when he said that nothing was bothering him. He had been there for me, now I was going to be there for him.
To be continued.
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