Work Text:
He’s home earlier than usual, determined to surprise Marti with dinner by the time he walks through the door. Niccolò is debating whether or not to attempt a carbonara – god knows he has only managed to make it decently a handful of the many times he’s tried in the last few years – but Martino always appreciates the effort. Only no – today he wants to make something that he knows he can do well, something he knows Marti will enjoy. Niccolò is running through the list of recipes he has mentally stored away when he walks into the apartment and freezes in the entryway. The hall light is on, only he distinctly remembers turning it off when he’d left this morning. He inches forward slightly, further into the apartment, the feeling that something is wrong prickling at his skin.
The sound of rustling and drawers being opened in the bedroom reaches his ears and he struggles to think of what it is that he’s supposed to do in the case of a home invasion. Call the police?
He walks carefully through the living room, the open door to their bedroom coming into view. Nico can just see the end of the bed, the rest obscured by the angle. He’s about to look around for a weapon of some kind when he hears a clang followed by a soft ‘cazzo!’ and relaxes instantly. Marti must be home early. So much for his surprise but oh well, he’s not really complaining. He can do it another time. He’s about to call out a greeting but as he reaches the doorway the sight of an open suitcase atop the bed makes his breathing come to a standstill for a second. Two. Three. He takes a deep shuddering breath in and tries to stop the tears threatening from falling down his face. The panic bubbles up from within, bringing every insecurity he harbours and pushing it to the forefront of his brain. He’s leaving me? Of course he is, he’s gotten sick of your impossible mood swings, he’s tired of having to deal with you, you’re wor-
Nico shakes his head, forcing himself to fight his own thoughts. Martino loves him, he wouldn’t just leave. But then he thinks about the way that Martino’s dad left his mother, because he couldn’t deal with her mental illness any longer. And maybe that kind of thought process runs in the family . . .
But no. That’s not Martino. He wouldn’t leave him.
Would he?
Marti steps out of the bathroom, not noticing Niccolò standing frozen in the door just yet. He has his toothbrush in hand and he slips it into one of the pockets of the suitcase before sensing Nico’s gaze on him and glancing up.
His face breaks into a smile and relief pours through Nico’s entire body. He doesn’t know what’s going on but no, Marti’s not leaving him. The world isn’t ending.
“Ciao! I wasn’t sure if I was going to see you before I left. They want me to be in Napoli by tonight so I can set up early for the conference tomorrow. I don’t even know why they need me honestly, I feel like they just see me as a servant who will fetch coffee for them and hold their briefcases while they answer the phone . . .” Marti’s words slow as he properly takes in Niccolò’s expression and he steps forward, “What’s wrong?”
Nico shakes his head, unable to speak as he pulls Martino into a tight hug. Marti doesn’t say anything, doesn’t ask questions; just holds him close, his right hand moving in comforting strokes down his back. After a while – Nico couldn’t say how long – he pulls back but doesn’t disentangle himself from Martino’s embrace.
“Do you want to tell me?” Marti asks softly.
Nico shakes his head and rests his forward against his boyfriend’s, taking a deep breath. “No, I was just having a moment.”
He pulls away, breaking contact and smiles at Martino. “I completely forgot about your trip. How long are you going to be gone?”
Marti looks at him sceptically, clearly not quite believing in the sincerity of his smile. He lets it go though and replies, “Just for two days. I’ll be back on Friday night.” He pauses and looks at Nico carefully, “Are you going to be alright?”
Nico smiles softly. How could he have thought for even a second that this boy would leave him just like that?
“Just as long as you come back.”