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you mostly visit nightclubs to forget about all your worries and have fun. To get blackout drunk and pay no attention to the rules of acting socially acceptable; to dance and sing like it's your last day on earth and give yourself full permission to go all out.
right?
At least that's what Niko thought as he zipped up his black heels and lightly sprayed some sweet smelling perfume near his collarbones and under his petite, small ears. A little bit of lip gloss on his already plump lips and he was ready to hit the club.
No matter how flawless he seemed from outside,-full of confidence and power, looking absolutely gorgeous without even having put too much effort into his look,-his heart was crushed into millions of pieces, his insides melting from unbearable amount of sadness creeping into his mind and badly messing with his usual happy, bubbly self. To be completely honest,- did he want to attend the party he was forcing himself to go to? nope. His heart and mind were screaming to stay and curl up into his soft blanket to hide from everyone and everything that cursed night, but deep down Niko knew that wouldn't help even a bit. The abstract wounds that somehow hurt so much wouldn't be healed by locking himself in his small room and crying about the recent heartbreaking occurrence. He was aware of the obvious fact that break ups were no joke. Getting over them would take more effort than isolating himself from everyone and getting drunk alone. So yes,-Niko was ready to choose his best outfit and run away from his own feelings. The internal pain of losing a loved one,- not that they were dead,- felt like actual knifes cutting through his soft skin. Even though there was no blood pouring down, it still felt like it.
Every time his name popped into Niko's head it burnt like fire and that's exactly why he had made the strict decision to leave his house. Surrounding himself with friends, pouring drinks and increasing the volume of his favorite song in his phone should've put a bandage on his broken heart, and despite it seeming impossible Niko was never the guy to give up.
''hey you ready?'' He heard a familiar voice on the phone.
''Yes, Ceto. Have you arrived?''
''Right in front of your window'' Niko felt them smirk without seeing Ceto's face. It wasn't too difficult to guess since Niko was so used to their personality that he could predict Ceto's every step or decision. Not surprisingly, they had gotten seemingly close after Ceto started working with him in the family as a Chef. Niko naturally made them feel accepted and less alone and Ceto gave him opportunities to fool around... or to be exact, turned into a great fuck buddy.
''i'll be there'' Niko forced himself to sound more excited then he was, kissed Angel's forehead as a quick goodbye and swiftly made his way down the stairs.
As expected Ceto was waiting for him, leaned against their car, probably scrolling through some social media on the phone, holding a cigarette with their other hand, the usual unimpressed, resting bitch face plastered on their face. Though Ceto's expression instantly turned welcoming and slightly flirty as they glanced towards Niko and waved at him with enthusiasm.
Niko forced a smile ''hey''
''Why hello there drama queen,'' Ceto grinned, their sharp teeth on display ''so how much concealer did you put on to hide the redness?''
Niko lightly slapped their elbow but the remark still made him chuckle. Despite how the situation sucked, Ceto always found ways to turn it into a bittersweet joke to laugh at and tease Niko. If he was being honest, it kind of helped. Not like he'd be able to stop them from kidding about his ex in the most offensive way possible anyway. Ceto was so mad he had to talk them out of murdering him after the break up, so compared to that jokes were fine.
Niko checked his hair in the car mirrors one last time and they headed to the nightclub. Ceto seemed pretty positive about Niko's sudden decision to go out and didn't stop talking the whole way. It was nice though,-listening to something else rather than his terrible thoughts that were stuck in his brain for the past few days, bringing down his confidence and making him feel depressed. so, so sad.
They blasted some loud music in the car, lip syncing the lyrics as the wind was caressing Niko's flushed cheeks and messing his hair up, the small lamps lighting up the street, looking like tiny fireflies in the air as the car was passing by them quickly. For the first time since his relationship ended, Niko experienced the craved feeling of freedom and felt a waterfall of joy start to overflow again in his small heart. It was all going to get better, he repeated over and over, quietly to himself.
By the time they arrived the party had started and both of them could hear the music finding its way from the building outside.
Niko smiled, with more confidence this time, adjusting his dress and looking up at the shining logo of the nightclub's name.
''Ready to make him jealous?'' Ceto said.
''what?'' Niko stopped dead in his track.
''He's going to be there, didn't you know?'' Ceto shot a serious glance towards Niko, sounding concerned.
''Ceto, tell me you're joking or i'm taking these heels off and running back to my house'' Niko tried to joke but he couldn't deny the shivers he had gotten from hearing the news.
a pause.
''okay yeah,'' Ceto suddenly started giggling, ''i'm not that mean, he's not here. Not that i know, at least'' they continued to chuckle as Niko didn't hesitate to straight up punch them in the arm.
''fucker! i got so scared!'' the feeing of relief also made him laugh and Ceto received a few more hits.
They entered the club. The lively atmosphere shot adrenaline through Niko's blood; The music, the noise of people around him, the light scent of sweat, perfume and citrus from drinks slowly sunk in and made him feel dizzy and drunk even before his first cocktail. He had missed this even though it had just been a few weeks of unfamiliar boredom.
''I'm home'' He chuckled, grabbing his friend's hand to drag them towards the bar where he had spotted a cute mixologist.
Niko ordered a few drinks, danced a lot and perhaps made out with a boy or two. Spinning around with his heels became easier than ever as he jumped from one person to another, spreading the energy around and making everyone in the club stand up to join him. He adored the effect he could have on people. It made him feel so ambitious and self-assured.
At some point he spotted Ceto in the crowd, smirking at him from the distance, their expression saying: ''see? i told you''
Niko smiled at them and nodded as a thank you. They deserved it.
Ceto disappeared out of the blue but it didn't really scare nor did it surprise Niko considering the fact that they used to do that a lot anyways. He knew they were close by no matter what, so he turned around, ready to accomplish his next goal for the night, which was finding a one nightstand, a.k.a a rebound to help him completely let go of all his worries. ''no more dating'' Niko had promised himself after the heartbreak, though that didn't mean he was refusing to say yes to physical contact. He wanted to remain his old flirty self and still astonish people with his beauty.
Finding the guy for his liking wasn't challenging, not when the club was filled with pretty people walking around. Scanning the room a few times, Niko chose a blue eyed dude who seemed appropriate for him and steadily approached him. The guy welcomed him with a smile and instantaneously glanced up and down to view his whole body. This was going quite well.
Niko didn't hesitate to confess his plans and the guy seemed to agree immediately. ''How could i say no to such a pretty lady?'' he asked, though the question seemed rhetorical. It pleased Niko and reminded him of the needed attention once again. No playing hard to get this time.
Grabbing his hand, they headed towards the club's bathroom where he clearly pictured himself making out with the cutie, just the thought alone making his insides tingle.
Closing the door behind them, the guy roughly grabbed Niko's waist, bringing him closer to his body and pining him up against the wall. Niko had a feeling this adventure wouldn't end in the bathroom so he reached for his phone to text Ceto about it but the dude didn't really stop kissing him, not giving him a chance to even look at the screen which startled him a bit but he decided not to think too much and instead wrapped both of his hands around his neck. Several minutes full of loud breathing and noisy kissing sounds, the guy dared to slide his hand under Niko's dress which excited him a lot. He felt his hand squeeze his thigh before the guy proceeded to get even closer. A little more want and affection, and they'd probably agree to going to his house to continue the session. Niko was about to suggest going to his place when they heard the door open. Alternatively Niko would pull away so that things wouldn't get awkward, but the door opened quicker than expected and a blonde girl stormed into the bathroom, looking more like a monster than a human. Her hair was messy and tangled and you could nearly see actual fire in her antagonized eyes. She looked like she had ran a desert to get to the location.
Shocked by her sudden presence, Niko didn't even manage to think of pulling away when they heard her yell out of probably what seemed like anger and frustration.
''How could you!'' the girl screamed at the guy Niko was hugging. ''you FUCKING cheater!'' she shouted even louder, pushing him after Niko let go of his waist and swiftly moved aside. ''You!'' she then turned to the innocent boy, ''didn't you know he had a fucking girlfriend?! I can't believe how disgusting some people are, slut!''
Niko was speechless. He was too tongue tied and confused to speak up and defend himself, so he just stood there, startled and suddenly afraid of what was going to happen next. The precipitous change of the night was slowly sinking in and it was making his whole body shake out of shame, disappointment and disgust.
why did it have to be that why. why couldn't he have nice things.
The girl kept yelling at the guy who was trying his best to give whatever explanation he could, though at that point their noises got mixed up and it was all a blur to Niko. He turned around and calmly walked out, carefully pushing his way towards the exit and looking around to find Ceto. Not long after reaching the entrance, they approached him.
''you don't look too happy'' Ceto furrowed their brows, leaning against the wall.
''Can we just please.'' Niko inhaled to stop himself from crying ''leave? like now.''
''There's an uber waiting for you outside. Go home. I'll stay for a bit.''
It hurt Niko to hear that because it made him feel like Ceto didn't care about what had happened at all but he was too tired to think about it, let alone argue and make everything worse, so he nodded and walked outside.
As Ceto mentioned, there indeed was a black car waiting for him right in front of the building. Niko was very thankful because it had started raining like cats and dogs and he had no desire to get soaking wet whatsoever. The water pouring down managed to turn his dress a bit damp and ruin his hair, though that was the last thing he cared about when all he wanted was to leave that cursed nightclub.
''Uber?'' he asked and the driver nodded, so he sat down in the front, adjusting the seat belt and leaning his head back. Niko quickly wiped his tears away to avoid embarrassing himself in front of the stranger, yet it seemed like the guy managed to notice the tears flowing down his pretty face.
''You okay?'' he asked. His voice was somehow so calm, relaxing and deep; it made Niko turn his head.
The driver looked like he was in his late 20s. Even though Niko wasn't sure if he wanted to admit it, he looked quite handsome; his dirty blond curls were reaching both of his shoulders and he had a cute pointy nose that complimented his pouty, naturally red lips. He was wearing glasses, though his eyelashes were long enough for Niko to spot them through the glass. The outfit he had put on was very simple, - just a plain white T-shirt that if Niko wasn't mistaken, was transparent and black skinny jeans. All of that somehow still made him look incredibly beautiful, way more interesting than anyone he had ever seen. Niko sat there admiring his appearance when the guy repeated the question.
''oh'' he suddenly snapped out of it, ''yeah, yeah i'm fine. Just a bad night'' he looked down at his hands. Just a bad night
''You look tired'' he exclaimed, ''are you sure nightclubs are your thing?'' Niko could swear he spotted a shallow smile run across his lips.
''dunno. I was sure it could fix my love life, apparently.'' He sighed. ''didn't work out''
''mm'' the stranger answered with a slight nod, merely focusing his sight on the road. ''I wouldn't mind listening''
''huh?'' Niko looked up at him again.
''Tell me what happened, if that makes you feel better. I believe no one has introduced you to me before, therefore you can feel comfortable sharing that with me.'' He shrugged his shoulders, ''Name's Acelin, by the way.''
Niko had to pause to think about what had just happened, so that his brain could process the kind words coming out of Acelin's mouth.
''You'd be willing to listen to me complain about life?'' his own question nearly made Niko chuckle.
''Why not?'' Acelin licked his lips, now letting himself smile.
''Well, well'' Niko leaned against the soft back of the seat as his spine relaxed, ''I recently got dumped by the love of my life and as you can clearly figure out, i didn't find any luck at the nightclub either, got terribly misunderstood which lead to things getting heated... in the least pleasing way possible'' He exclaimed. Spilling everything to someone felt like a release, it was so nice to get it off his chest without being told what he should've done differently or fixed. Acelin listened instead of judging and that's all he needed someone to do. He listened calmly, so quietly that Niko almost thought he had stopped paying attention when he assured him to continue with a nod. So he talked and talked and talked, vomiting the words like an unstoppable waterfall in front of them. Niko noticed himself being on the verge of tears when he finished, so he sniffed, looking up to stop himself from repeating the same mistake.
''It's okay'' was the first thing Acelin said throughout Niko's speech. ''You're allowed to feel devastated, that truly is quite upsetting.''
''I'm sorry'' Niko apologized, ''I just. This is so hard. Everyone keeps asking me how I am'' he felt his voice shake, ''and I keep answering I’m fine,'' He stopped to breathe for a few seconds. ''I'm afraid I’m failing everyone at this point and I can't even get away from them to collect myself and sort out my life before being asked too many questions'' he slid his hands through his hair and pulled a little from frustration, ''I know they’re just checking how I’m doing but,'' not being able to continue anymore, Niko burst in tears, sobbing very quietly.
''Jesus'' Acelin said after a short pause, ''I'm really sorry. Is there any way I could actually help?''
Niko let himself smile ''You already did just by listening. You didn't have to do that, at all''
Acelin pouted. ''Seems like I just made you cry''
Niko chuckled, shaking his head ''You know it isn't your fault. You did more than enough already and I’m thankful for that''
''Would you,'' Acelin paused for a split second, as if he was hesitating to finish the sentence, ''Would you like to hang out with me for a while till things get better?''
The sudden suggestion internally shocked Niko, though he managed not to seem as startled from outside as he actually was. Despite Acelin helping him and being incredibly altruistic, the last thing he expected was being offered a place to stay and hang out. It surely confused him, Acelin was still a complete stranger after all and he wasn't sure if it was safe to agree to following him home, though as creepy as it sounded, Niko really thought his night wouldn't be able to get worse than it already was. He decided to ignore the voice inside his head telling him to stop blindly trusting everyone he met and seriously consider Acelin's suggestion, which by the way sounded very fun.
''Are you being serious?'' Niko checked.
''There, we're right in the middle of the road. The left part leads to your house and the right leads to mine, I don't live very far away. If you would like to stay for the night and maybe have some tea with milk while having deep conversations about how you're not the only one with a fucked up life, you're welcome. It won't cost extra money'' he joked in the end, stopping the car to let him decide. Niko closed his eyes for a minute, getting rid of any second thoughts.
''yes'' he said with sudden rush of confidence.
''we're just going to chill and rest. I'll drive you home if you decide against it'' Acelin stated.
''I would like to hang out, if you don't mind'' Niko stubbornly repeated, struggling to believe his own words.
''Good, then'' Acelin gave him a soft smile and turned the car.
''I could always say no'' Niko thought to himself and imagined every possible way of escaping and jumping out straight from the car, but the more he estimated the situation, the easier it became to accept the fact that Acelin wasn't a murderer. He wasn't the one to harm him and it wouldn't hurt to make a friend.
right?
**********************************
Like the boy exclaimed earlier, his place wasn't far away, they arrived quicker than Niko expected. The appearance of Acelin’s apartment convinced Niko even more that the guy was nothing but a sweet, generous human being. The place was small but the minute he stepped in, Niko felt a rush of warmth and candles that smelled like actual perfume. The atmosphere was welcoming and lovely, the rooms seemed very cozy and comfortable. Exactly what the stressed out boy needed,- a calm environment like this to let his mind relax and focus on the tiny fairy lights hanging up Acelin’s bed instead of his ex-boyfriend.
Enough of that, he thought.
Niko felt at home. It was a weird thing to admit aloud considering that Acelin still wasn’t someone he had known for long, but he felt home, so there was really no point in investing why.
As if he had read Niko’s thoughs, Acelin exclaimed: „make yourself at home.“, he then rushed to the kitchen to greet his cat, which immediately made Niko even more excited, asking him if he could pet the fluffy creature. Acelin just nodded and pulled out the cutest apron from a drawer to avoid ruining his clothes as he started mixing some ingredients in a bawl. “brownies?” he asked.
“love them” Niko replied. This felt so domestic.
“so” Acelin spun around like a true Chef, looking like he had invented brownies in the first place. “I believe the night hasn’t been the best for you, but trust me living as a taxi driver isn’t very fun either. I can’t say I’m poor, but it never was my dream job. I’ve always been more keen on being in charge of things and viewing myself as a leader of something, as bad as that sounds” Acelin giggled at his own words, “this is making my life unbearably boring. Years pass and I’m spending all my time in a car. So really the least I can do to make it a bit more exciting whilst helping out others, is this” he put the mixture in the oven, leaving Niko deep in thoughts.
“would you,” his eyes observed the inside of the oven “leave your current job to follow your dreams?”
“wish I could” Acelin leaned against a kitchen counter. “but I don’t think I have any choices at the moment”
Niko paused, now looking at Acelin’s calm expression.
He is a man with potential to do greater things than this. He is in fact cut out to be a leader, to work harder and earn more, communicate with people who will be willing to respect him and help him be fully comfortable with his workplace.
Here we go, he thought.
“you could work at the Quinton family as a butler, we’ve been searching for one for quite a while now”
This night has been full of surprises, hasn’t it?
“what?”
“I work as a maid at a great household. They’re quite wealthy and provide me not only with a place to stay but also good salary. Most importantly, they make me feel less lonely and accepted. I have a feeling you’d enjoy hanging out there” he took a breath before continuing “and you’d handle it very well”
Acelin seemed genuinely surprised. The boy didn’t manage to speak up for a good few minutes, thinking about Niko’s sudden offer. “are you being serious?” he asked.
“legit” Niko assured, “we can go back in the morning and see if you like it there. I doubt you wouldn’t, the girl we’re serving is the cutest,” talking about Angel made Niko smile, “and besides it’s been pretty difficult without someone to take care of the whole mess, at the moment everything needs to be organized and I’m not figuring it out well with my heels. Also, I hate paperwork and bills.”
Acelin suddenly giggled, nodding. “okay, pretty boy. I’m intrigued”
Niko blushed and the redness showed up on his flushed cheeks no matter how hard he tried to hide it. Acelin was the first one to refer to him as a male that particular night. Not that he didn’t like being called a girl, it was just endearing being called such nickname. Thankfully the boy turned around to pour tea in the cup before he could spot Niko’s cheeks and the sweet smile plastered on his face.
Everything was ready in the span of 20 more minutes and the table looked too beautiful to touch and move any items on top, but Niko’s belly suggested otherwise and he reached out to grab Acelin’s masterpiece. Within the second bite Niko knew that was the best fucking thing he had ever put in his mouth and to be honest he had put a lot of stuff in it before.
“I’ll crash on the couch, feel free to sleep in my bed tonight” Acelin said, cleaning up the table after they finished the midnight picnic.
“are you joking?” Niko insisted on washing the dishes as he prepared to argue about the bed, “I’m not conquering your bed, I’m just a guest here”
“so logically, you get the bed. It’s not that much of a deal” Acelin smiled.
“so stubborn”, Niko shook his head and gave up.
Yet after approximately half an hour of laying in bed and contemplating his life decisions in the dark, an idea started bothering his head. An idea too good to not share; an idea he instantly knew he had to accomplish.
Grabbing the soft blanket in his hands, Niko tiptoed to where Acelin was supposed to be sleeping. Surprisingly enough the boy was awake, his phone’s light being the only source of light in the room. It didn’t take too long for Acelin to notice Niko making his way towards the couch, so he immediately sat up, balancing on his elbow.
Naked. Torso.
He. Sleeps. Naked.
Well, to be honest as Niko later found out he did wear pajama shorts and socks but that certainly didn’t help as Acelin’s beautiful tanned chest was on display. His light brown, warm toned skin and moles along with scattered freckles near his collarbones did things to Niko’s heart.
And okay, maybe his crotch as well, but he didn’t even consider mentioning that aloud.
“hey” Acelin greeted him with a slightly raspy voice, “can’t sleep?”
Niko hugged the blanket closer to his chest (and his downsides, to cover up a potential boner.) “yeah, but more importantly, I will not accept you and your back suffering on this tiny couch,” he inhaled, “pleasecomelaydownwithme”
It was embarrassing and childish, though it made Acelin let out a genuine laugh “sure thing” he stood up? Exposing his long, stunning legs. Wow, okay
Brushing back a strand of his hair, Niko climbed into the bed and Acelin followed shortly after.
“better” he strictly stated, making Acelin giggle again.
“you’re cute, you know that?” he said, and even though the room was pitch black, Niko felt him admiring his face.
“I’ve been told” he teased, feeling Acelin grin. “hey, but seriously, thanks for all of this” suddenly Niko’s hands became very interesting, “I don’t know how I would be able to handle all of this by myself. I needed a place to escape for a while and have someone by my side who completely understood.” He bit his lip, “this meant a lot. Truly”
Acelin caressed his shoulder with the lightest touch. “I did what needed to be done. Trust me I’ve been there. Whether it was being dumped or breaking up with someone myself, I’ve experienced both and it was a heart shattering moment. I promised myself to never love anyone again, though sadly that’s not how it works. You never know who’s going to cross your path next and steal your heart” he exclaimed, “regardless, it gets better. You’ll be okay.”
Niko smiled. “this isn’t the last time we meet”
“it certainly isn’t, unless the family starts hating me and I don’t get the job” Acelin chuckled.
“highly doubt it. You’re amazing.” Niko yawned, feeling himself very slowly drift off to sleep.
What he did not expect, was waking up in Acelin’s arms, hugging his waist tightly with his face pressed right against his chest and in his neck. He didn’t expect to hear his calm breath, to see his peaceful asleep face and slightly pouty lips. But it was happening. It really was happening.
How did we end up like this.
Niko wasn’t complaining. Maybe, just maybe for a few more minutes he could pretend Acelin was his long term boyfriend who’d love him unconditionally and always.
He tried not to wake him up as he shuffled to look up at him to admire his face, but it didn’t take Long for the boy to flutter his eyes open and yawn, stretching as if he handn’t been holding Niko in his arms the previous minute.
„How did you sleep?“
„Quite well. I was a little worried about the household, but looks like my friend got me covered. She works there as well.“
Acelin nodded, „you still up for the plan to give me my dream job?“
„Always“ Niko grinned, „I can’t wait for us to get there actually“
„We’d better hurry up then“ Acelin sat up, shooting him one last smile before heading to his closet.
Niko sat quietly, thinking about the previous night. It all felt like a dream and he was slightly scared, the last thing he wanted was all of this,- the confusing but incredible change in his life,- to disappear.
He pinched himself just in case.
I’m awake. I’m here.
Acelin didn’t take long to get ready, whereas Niko made sure every strand of his hair was at a right place, rinsed his face and put his dress back on. Walking into the kitchen, the lovely smell of bacon and eggs hit his nostrills. Niko closed his eyes for a moment, taking it all in.
„You look good in a dress“ Acelin muttered without making eye contact. Niko teasingly smiled, he loved when he was able to spot shyness in Acelin’s sentences because he usually sounded very wise and confident as if there was nothing that could leave him confused.
„Why thank you“ he stayed polite.
They had breakfast together in peace and quiet, which was perfect timing for Niko to mentally prepare for what was about to come. He wasn’t really nervous,-something told him the family would love Acelin, though he did take the case very seriously.
They headed to the house right after the breakfast, Acelin stopped the car near the golden gate and steadily got out.
„This looks rich“ Acelin exclaimed, raising his eyebrows and admiring the mansion from afar.
“wait until you go inside” Niko smirked, walking towards the house.
He knocked a few times when they heard footsteps from inside and the door opened. Ceto greeted them with a smile.
Or him.
Because as they saw Acelin standing next to his friend, the smile quickly disappeared. As for Acelin, his eyes widened in shock, staring at Ceto as if they were some kind of a mythical creature.
There was a pause that lasted too long for Niko to not figure out that there was something clearly wrong.
“what-“ he started.
“you” Ceto cut his sentence, staring at Acelin like he wanted to jump at him and murder the man. “what are you doing here?”
“I could ask the same for you” Niko felt how hard Acelin was trying to remain calm and collected.
“guys?” Niko asked.
“I need answers” Ceto now turned to him.
“This is the Uber driver from yesterday! His name’s Acelin and,-“
“I know what his fucking name is” Ceto muttered unpleasantly.
“what’s going on?” Niko tried.
“We may or may not have known each other for several years” Acelin explained, crossing his hands, “and it wasn’t very fun while it lasted”
Niko groaned. “why does everything,” he pulled his own hair, “EVERYTHING in my life has to go wrong?” he yelled, “you know what?” Niko then inhaled to calm down “I don’t care. I don’t care! You two are going to get along however you want because Ceto, we’re probably accepting a new butler in the household. I need to talk to mrs. Quinton.” He spoke so quickly that it left both of them a bit shook and without the ability to talk for a good few minutes. Niko disappeared right after, aggresively running to find the house owners.
„Are you even qualified to work here?“ Ceto raised an eyebrow.
„I’d like to think so“ Acelin squinted his eyes, „Niko and i discussed this enough yesterday so worry not, friend. I’ll be able to handle it somehow“
„So ironic“ Ceto teased and went inside, leaving the door open for him to follow.
Surprosingly or not, it didn’t take much effort or thinking for the family to accept Acelin in the house. Angel’s parents were left very pleased as Niko noticed which was expected, Acelin seemed perfect for the job. From his appearance to his skills and the way he communicated with others, all of it proved he was cut out to be a butler. It was an opportunity for both of them. Win-win.
Acelin fell in love with the house instantly. Even though he didn’t seem to happy about the fact that he had to see Ceto’s face every day, it looked like he’d be able to get used to it over time. It still confused Niko and gave him an urge to ask too many questions, but he decided to wait for the right time once everyone was settled.
It didn’t take too long for Acelin to move in and send messages to all of his family members about the new job. Just as quickly the boy learned the basic things he had to get done on a daily basis and started working like he had been there his whole life.
Niko knew he had made the right decision. There were moments when he’d see the guy, - the guy who used to be just a taxi driver,- spinning around and handling hus job like a pro. He’d notice the love and passion in Acelin’s eyes and that was enough to convince him that out of all the mistakes he had made in his life, this wasn’t one of them. Acelin was happier, somehow he was certain.
One issue that was constantly bothering Niko and never leaving his head was the disagreement between Acelin and Ceto. They had managed to avoid beating each other up, but the salty remarks, bitter glances, eyerolls, the details they showed to express the hate were still there.
He didn’t like it and he wanted to find out the reason. On a casual evening when all the work was mainly done, Niko decided to knock on Acelin’s door after dinner as he was building up sentences ro carefully ask questions.
„Hey“ Acelin greeted, looking a bit tired but pleased. The first two puttoms on his white shirt were loose and his hair was messed up, though in a cute way, Niko thought.
„Can we talk for a second?“ he shyly asked, tugging on his own black dress.
Acelin responded with a nod, „sure. On the balcony?“ Niko spotted a sprinkle of worry in his voice.
„Sounds good. Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad“ he assured him, making his way to the huge balcony.
Acelin followed a minute after, taking in the cold air that hit his cheeks first and closing his eyes to breathe for a seconds. It was a lovely early spring evening.
„This was been such a crazy week for me“ Niko started „i never thought i’d end up.. finding you“ as cheesy as it sounded, Niko liked to be fully honest with himself and Acelin. „I feel like my life finally took a turn after the break up and it became better with your presence“ he looked down as his strands of hair covered the rosy cheeks „but there is one thing i’m very curious about and i wasn’t able to get myself to ask about it till today. Do you mind?“
„Not at all, ask away“ Acelin said.
„What happened between you and Ceto?“ Niko exlaimed boldly. he gathered the courage to look up and made eye contact with Acelin. He expected everything, starting from anger and frustration to sadness and uncomfortable tension, but instead he was left with the same warm eyes. It was still Acelin, still his sweet glance and still his calm voice. The boy sighed, looking away for a second. “I ask myself that every day” Acelin started, “though I never find the correct answer. Me and Ceto, we have a huge backstory together. To sum up, we used to be pretty good friends back in our early teens” suddenly Acelin’s hands became more interesting to look at “they were quite different than they are right now and I guess I’ve been struggling with accepting that. I assume you didn’t know them before they proceeded to turn into a psychotic murderer?” you could see a tiny nostalgic smile appear for a split second on his lips.
“they are quite different from most of us.” Niko said, “I personally just didn’t really mind that though. We’re all weird in our own ways”
Acelin nodded. “For me it was like losing a friend back then. Imagine someone happy and bubbly and kind turning into a drastically different person and making you feel like you didn’t even know them. I knew they had a reason, I know it wasn’t easy. But they can’t prove I didn’t experience shock either” rubbing his eyes, Acelin paused. “it all went downhill once they started hurting people and cutting their wrists. In my eyes Ceto turned into this maniac,- and we had a huge fight over it. I left them for my own good and I thought I’d never admit this but, I know I made a mistake. You don’t give up on your friends like that.” His voice sounded small, so disappointed. Sad, even.
Niko felt himself tearing up.
He was too afraid to speak because the last thing the boy wanted was to break down in front of Acelin, him.
“I understand” he managed.
“The situation didn’t get fixed because I was too late. Ceto was too late. We fucked up” Acelin added, chuckling as he wiped the tears away from Niko’s face.
“regardless both of you are very strong,” Niko muttered, “I’m proud of you”
Acelin smiled at him.
“says the boy who survived too much heartbreak and sadness in just a week.” Acelin lightly caressed his cheek. Niko just wanted to wrap his hands around him.
So he did.
There they were, standing on the balcony and hugging each other tightly. It felt so nice to receive affection from someone who wouldn’t demand things that Niko didn’t want to do, from someone who seemed like he actually cared instead of using him as a toy and ignoring for the rest of his life once he was bored and done.
Niko felt every inch of his warm body against his. And for once it felt like home.
He pulled away, staring straight into his eyes. He admired his face for a second, then let himself smile a little.
“I know how to fix this.”
***
Ceto's Pov.
The minute they saw him they made it seem like their whole being was filled with hate and disappointment, but who knew Ceto had been hit with so many mixed feelings at the same time. It’s him. It’s my friend.
The flashbacks immediately flooded their brain. Seeing Acelin after everything they’d gone through was tough, because they hadn’t ended it on a good note. Ceto spent all night awake remembering how good it used to be and how all the problems arrived, turning into a huge pile of misery and depression, transforming them into someone they weren’t familiar with. They hurt their friends, if they had any, they damaged the people around them and left everyone with no explanations.
Was there anything to explain though?
Ceto just hoped they would understand and in the process they went overboard. People didn’t get it, but most importantly, Acelin didn’t get it.
They were so confused. Ceto didn’t even know what to feel; Anger? Sadness? Empathy? Happiness? Embarrassment? It felt like all those feelings had found their way into Ceto’s mind.
They had no hope for some magical reunion, but they were slowly accepting Acelin’s casual presence. They were getting there.
What they had completely forgotten to focus about was the upcoming month of their birth, which was never relevant to Ceto anyways. They hated birthdays; mostly their own. They found it the dumbest way to celebrate “something as unimportant as a life” as they would say. Yet to be honest, they always made sure to turn Niko’s birthday into a huge celebration that lasted for nearly a few days.
The main reason they felt uneasy remembering the event was the fact that it never brought something happy. No nice memories, no family, sometimes after overthinking, it even felt like they were forgetting their own age.
Stupid.
Dumb, silly birthdays, Ceto thought.
A day was left until they would turn 23.
Ceto spent the remaining time working harder than usual to avoid every possible thought of “hey you’re becoming old and there is almost no one to acknowledge it” and so on.
The day went plain and simple. Boring, kind of.
They ended up sitting outside in the garden of the mansion, hanging out with flowers and butterflies.
Better than nothing, right?
Ceto sighed, sitting on a bench and crossing their legs as they listened to sounds the garden made. Wind, leaves, water, it was all so soothing. It felt like at least someone, or something had made effort to help Ceto feel at ease.
They got interrupted by loud footsteps followed by someone’s Voice.
“hey” Ceto opened their eyes to see Acelin standing near them.
“hey” they responded, patting the space next to them just to be polite.
“I wanted to talk, if you don’t mind” Acelin said. Ceto nodded as an answer.
“I know it’s been difficult since I moved here. I know that because you are not the only one who had to get used to seeing someone who you used to call a friend every day.” He cracked his bones to relax himself. “we ended it very badly Ceto, and we both made mistakes that were too big for a simple apology to fix everything. Regardless, I’m here to say sorry because these years have been enough for me to realize how much I fucked up. I hurt my friend who may I say,- I saw as my own sibling once, and I hurt them badly. I just wanted you to understand that the sudden change was difficult for me as well, that I did not recognize you after all the shit went down.”
Ceto was now staring at him with wide eyes, not believing his own ears. They had lost the ability to speak, so Acelin continued.
“I truly thought our friendship would last forever, y’know? It devastated me when I realized that wasn’t the truth. But now I met Niko. Gosh, I met him, instantly fell in love and the fate also decided to bring us together again.”
At this point Ceto’s mouth was hanging open, they were still staring at Acelin with their brain on edge of exploding.
“you love Niko?” was what Ceto managed to get out.
“shut up” Acelin whisper-screamed. “I just read you an emotional lecture and is that all you got out from it?”
Ceto suddenly laughed. “you’re still the same” and there it was. The old smile appeared on their face.
“you too, in some ways.” Acelin grinned.
“I understand, Acelin. Believe me it was the lowest point of my life when I lost my friend too, because I had left nothing. I don’t know how I made it here but I did.”
“That’s not it” Acelin stood up. “follow me” he announced out of the blue and started walking towards the mansion. Shrugging his shoulders, Ceto did as they were told.
The last thing they saw before being practically blinded by the light coming out of the house was Acelin opening both doors widely. At first it was sounds that made it to Ceto’s ears, then they managed to make out the biggest sign they had ever seen, supported by all eight members of the household. Niki quickly ran in front of them, exploding something, somehow, that apparently shot sparkles and glitter everywhere. Ceto heard their very first happy birthday said by the people they truly admired, altogether, there.
Their heart was bursting. As they managed to concentrate more they noticed how the entire house was decorated. It looked so lovely.
Ceto made sure to hug every single member of the family.
Their family.
“he organized it” Niko smiled up at them in excitement as he pointed towards Acelin who was standing with his arms crossed as usual, smiling.
Something melted in Ceto’s chest.
You’re all so kind. Too kind.
They approached Acelin.
“thank you” Ceto felt their voice shaking, “thank you so much” it was about time. They hugged their friend.
Acelin didn’t hesitate to hug back as he ruffled Ceto’s hair just like he used to. He always put up this “big bro” personality just because he was a few years older, but they loved it.
As Ceto pulled away, they heard Niko sobbing from happiness in the distance. Shortly after they decided to give some time for Niko with Acelin and turned to little Angel who apparently had a gift for them.
She was a really good artist for her age, huh.
***
“we did it” running towards the boy, Niko wrapped his hands around his neck and embraced him. “I was so scared we wouldn’t make it on time.”
Acelin pouted “Are you saying you thought I wouldn’t be able to pull it off?” he purposely acted offended, trying not to giggle.
“No sir, I would never think let alone say that” Niko played along, sounding as serious as he could until they both started giggling.
“They’re happy” Niko said smiling, staring at Ceto in the distance who had a happy grin plastered on their face instead of the usual forced smirk.
Acelin nodded in agreement “and I think we started the journey to fixing what we ruined”
Niko turned to him. “I’m proud of you”
Acelin wanted to give a proper answer. He wanted to take a breath and start talking about how much Niko meant to him and how big the change was that the boy had made in his life. How beautiful his eyes were and how proud he was.
It seemed too overwhelming though. So Acelin settled for a kiss.
Their lips met as they closed their eyes and Acelin instantly felt it was the best feeling he had ever experienced. Niko’s lips were so soft, petite and sweet. He tasted like strawberries and they fit like a puzzle together. This was right.
Acelin forgot everything around them. He slid his hands around Niko’s waist, holding the boy impossibly closer to him. He dared to lightly go over his mouth with his tongue which let out a tiny noise from Niko. He tried to muffle his moan but Acelin didn’t miss it. It made him smile.
Niko pecked the corner of his mouth, threating his fingers into the boy’s hair and carefully biting his neck to tease. “See you after the party” Niko chuckled, joining the others.
“see ya” Acelin smiled to himself, going to pick up Angel since it was already late.
“are you and Niko together?” Angel suddenly asked as she crawled into her bed.
Startled from the unexpected question, Acelin nervously chuckled.
“To be honest with you… I’m not sure myself” he smiled to himself.
“all he talks about since you moved in is how much he loves you and how attractive you are” Angel laughed, cruelly exposing him “I think the feeling is mutual”
it is.
***
After everyone was asleep, Niko and Acelin ended up in his room, finally having time for each other which he was going to cherish like gold and make it amazing. He did, by the way, or at least that’s what Niko thought.
Who knew what future would bring them, but at that exact moment as he was laid in Niko’s bed with his bare torso, hands around the boy he was certain he loved, it all seemed perfect.