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He only wanted to help.
They had to get to the arboretum. Monty was being stubborn, but there was no time to waste.
"You'd better take these, they'll help!"
At least, he thought they would.
One moment he was offering the crutches, and the next, they were clattering loudly to the floor.
Will didn't have the chance to figure out what he did wrong.
Monty dug his fingers into the collar of his shirt, taking a fistful of fabric and forcefully pulling him close.
"Think I need crutches, do you?"
He balanced precariously on the tips of his toes to keep from crashing into the other man. His breath caught at the closed distance between them, feeling his cheeks start to warm.
"Well, of course you don't need them!! I know that, ehe," Will croaked, grasping at Monty's forearms for stability. His legs trembled from the tense position, and even moreso after his gaze dropped.
They were so close now, Monty's toothpick was a breath away from brushing against his lip.
It gave him bad ideas. Ones that he couldn't— wouldn't— act on.
Will forced himself to meet his angry brown eyes again, which only tempted him deeper.
"I was just trying to help you out. I was just…"
He didn't know what possessed him to do what he did next.
They were just so close, and it was so… so easy.
All he needed to do was lean in a hair further, and that was it.
Monty didn't move when his teeth bit into the other end of the toothpick.
At least, not at first.
He stiffened up, the enraged expression on his face melting into one of surprise. His grip on Will's shirt loosened, then tightened, then loosened again.
Now, he didn't miss the way Monty's eyes flickered to his lips. The dilation of his pupils didn't go unnoticed, either.
That's where it should've ended.
But Monty hesitated, and Will got too bold.
He bit down harder and tugged.
Finally, Monty reacted, forcefully shoving him away.
"Christ, Will, the hell're you thinkin'?!"
Will stumbled back, bumping against a table and nearly spitting out the toothpick he'd gotten away with. He tried to get a better look at Monty's face, but he'd already turned his back to him.
He didn't know what he was thinking. Will didn't have any idea what he was hoping to achieve with that stunt, nor did he know wh–
A silhouette moved in his peripheral vision, jarring him out of whatever moment he'd just shared in a moment before.
No, they couldn't still be..?
A look in the direction of the figures only confirmed that the lost half of Lenore's group had yet to leave. Instead, they remained not far from the door, watching the two of them with varying degrees of shock and confusion.
How much had they seen?
His gaze darted back to Monty, watching him pull at his hair while wringing his hand around a belt loop.
He couldn't find out they were being watched.
Will crept up behind him, carefully reaching out to tap his shoulder. Despite his best efforts, Monty startled, shooting a dirty look over his shoulder.
"Sorry. Just thought maybe we should, um. Go?"
He gave a nervous smile, awkwardly adjusting the toothpick between his teeth.
Monty offered no reply, his expression unreadable.
"To the, uh, arboretum..?"
Will was nearly knocked over when Monty spun around, prodding a finger against his chest and stumbling into him as his broken leg faltered.
"Now you wanna go, do you? Actin' like you didn't just pull that bullshit?"
He looked pointedly at the toothpick between them again, scoffing at the sight. Will felt his throat go dry, looking anywhere but at Monty while he held him by the waist.
Was there really any need for him to crash into Will like that? When was he going to move? Not that he had to, or anything. This was fine.
Once again, he spotted the other group, this time on their way out the door.
They had definitely seen that last part, though.
When he met Monty's eyes again, they were fixed in that same direction.
"…Shit."
He started to pull away, but Will's grip on his waist grew firmer, taking a step back toward the other door.
"S'fine. They'll– maybe they won't, um. Make it back?"
Monty narrowed his eyes at him, holding his gaze for a few moments in silence.
"Alright, but if they do, we're gettin' rid of 'em. Got it?"
"Y-yeah, yep! Of course. Got it," Will grinned awkwardly, feeling his face heat up again.