Work Text:
Nick was too concentrated in fixing a phone's screen to realize someone else was in the store. The door had a bell, but it was a low activity day and he had his earphones on to keep his mind off things. That's why it caught him completely out of guard when he looked up and met Boston's eyes.
His hands stopped moving and if possible, so did his heart. It had been ages since they saw each other for the last time - Boston hadn't even graced him with his presence after the sex video, leaving a bitter taste on Nick's mouth that even when fucking his best friend, he couldn't get to Boston.
He feigned nonchalance and went back to picking the pieces apart, but it was nerve wracking waiting for whatever was going to happen next. After what felt like hours, Boston put a broken phone on the counter in front of him, leaning his body forward to get closer to him.
"I need to fix my phone." He said, and his use of words almost knocked Nick down. He snorted and took his earphones off.
"Sorry? I guess I didn't hear this right." Boston's smile widened. He was such a fucker.
"I thought you'd get that." He shrugged.
"Yeah, of course you'd think that. I'm not fixing phones anymore." He said.
"You're doing exactly that right now." Nick rolled his eyes at him.
"Well, I thought you'd get it." Boston looked surprised with that. He sighed heavily and finally dropped the act.
"Whatever then." He turned around to leave.
"Hey!" Nick called out and Boston looked back with a satisfied smirk. "You're forgetting this trash here." He could see that wasn't what Boston was expecting and he just flipped him off before leaving the store.
And the damn phone on the counter.
📼
Nick's life was back to normal - as normal as it could be now that he had gone through all that shit. Boston didn't show up after that day, but he still ended up fixing the phone. Part of him wanted to go through it, to check all of his texts and the deprived media he'd definitely have, but he couldn't. Even though Boston brought up the worst of him more than once, he was not that kind of person.
Not that he hoped Boston would come back, but he kept it safe in his drawer.
📼
One good thing to come out of the chaos was Mew. They got closer and the more they talked, the less he understood Boston's actions and the more he understood Ray's. He was the best friend anyone could have, and soon he started including Nick on his gang's plans, giving Nick not only a new friend, but three more as Namchueam always brought her girlfriend as well. It was a nice feeling - a new one for him.
Something still felt off, though.
He missed Boston, still.
Things descended into madness a few weeks later at a party thrown by one of their classmates. As sick as it seemed, they were all at the same place, each pretending they didn't have a scar caused by the others.
He stood closer to his - now - friends and tried to keep it cool. In one act of impulsiveness, on the few rare moments he found Boston looking at him, he kissed a random guy that was surrounding him. His eyes were glued to Boston's all the time, long enough to see him rolling his eyes and grabbing a girl that had been hitting on him by the waist.
He felt foolish, then. Of course Boston didn't care. He never did. And to think he was still acting like an idiot to have his attention on him made him feel sick.
"I'm going to take some air." He screamed louder than the music for Mew to hear.
"Are you okay?" He looked worried and Nick gave him a reassuring smile, nodding.
He dodged all the sweating bodies and tried not to throw up as all those different types of perfume mixed with alcohol scent started to get to him. He finally took a good breath in and out once he closed the back door behind him, resting his head on the wall.
What a shit night.
He startled as the door opened again minutes later, the devil making his entrance. He chuckled with incredulity.
"Can't you fuck off?" He said with his eyes closed.
Boston was quiet and Nick tensed up once he felt his body standing in front of him, getting closer and closer.
"Boston." He warned, stopping him with a hand on his chest. He didn't know if he had it in him to fight the man that night. Boston actually stopped moving, which made Nick open his eyes in surprise and when he saw the hunger in Boston's he knew he was doomed. If he tried anything, Nick wouldn't stop him.
So when Boston made the last move to bring their faces together, Nick kissed him hurriedly, as if he had been thirsty for months; as if they didn't have enough time. And just like all those times before, Boston matched his energy immediately, both burning up with the fire that was elicited whenever they touched.
Boston's hands were on his face and he was holding him as well, pulling him hard as if they could get any closer. Their tongues fought for dominance and they swallowed up each other's moans. Nick felt so breathless and yet like he was breathing for the first time in months.
He pulled Boston's hair with enough strength to make him hiss but he knew he liked it, and Boston took that chance to kiss his neck, using more teeth than necessary. Nick would be marked. He tried to do the same, but Boston wouldn't let him move, possessively holding him against the wall, holding his arms to stop him. He opened Nick's legs with one of his and pressed his thigh up, stealing another gasp from him.
"Boston," He whined.
"It's been so long. So long." Boston whispered before putting his hand under his shirt and caressing his hip bone.
"Did you-" Nick started and stopped himself, but the need for validation took the best of him in the end. "Did you miss me?" Boston paused for a second and Nick had this tiny glimpse of hope that, finally, he would admit to feeling something for him. That he would, at least, admit he missed the warmth of their bodies together.
"I've told you before you're my favorite." He said and his hand went down to touch Nick's crotch, but the blood froze and his veins and he felt cold all of sudden. There it was again.
He'd never be more than an extra body in Boston's long list.
He pushed him off of him, tears already threatening to fall. He was so stupid, so pathetic.
"Nick." Boston seemed anguished but Nick really couldn't have it anymore.
"I just don't get it." He scratched his head, feeling the frustration coming back with full force. "You acted like my boyfriend half the time! I'm your favorite? Maybe I am because you knew what we had was different. You can deny it, you can act all full of yourself and fuck the whole country but deep down you know with me was different." He pointed at his face, his voice getting louder by the minute. Boston looked conflicted, his lips frowned as if he had a bad taste in his mouth.
"I always made it clear that what we had wasn't serious. I don't do relationships." Nick scoffed.
"Well, you were pretty much doing it as long as we didn't label it like that."
"And why do you care about that so much? If it was good to you anyway, who the fuck cares if it was a relationship or not?"
"I do! Because you were using the fact we weren't exclusive to still fuck Top, or whoever else I haven't heard of." Boston laughed.
"Top was in a relationship and I didn't see that changing anything." Nick looked at him with disgust.
"Sure. You're two birds of a feather, thanks for reminding me." Boston faltered a bit and took a deep breath. "Do you wanna know what hurts me the most? We've been doing this for months, and in the one single time I was with Mew he still treated me better than you ever did. Funnily enough, he made me realize how little I've been accepting from you. Only your crumbs."
"Listen, Nick… It's in the past, alright? I don't even talk to Top anymore, or anyone else by the way. I have no one left." He smiled bitterly. "Shockingly, everyone could walk past through this and stay being friends, but me."
"How are you so up in your ass!" Nick raised his voice again. "Do you still not realize how much you hurt everyone? Even Top couldn't leave unbroken, and you think we should all just brush that aside? You never even tried apologizing. Mew was your best friend, and you didn't care !"
"How would you know if I cared or not?" Boston screamed back. "It fucking broke me to lose him. To know that from the start, no one would be on my side, they all just left."
"And did you do anything to deserve their forgiveness?" Boston turned around and punched the wall. Nick winced seeing the blood coming out. "You should take some time on your own and try to reevaluate your decisions." He said at last. Boston looked back at him with tears in his eyes.
Nick's breath caught because he never saw such emotions coming from him. But it wasn't his place to help him out. It wasn't his problem anymore. It had never been, actually.
"I hope after that you can be a better person and maybe find some new friends. But right now, Boston? You don't deserve to have a smile on your face, or anyone's forgiveness. And don't reach me again, I don't want to see you anymore. You made it very clear we're not a thing, so try to put that in your head too."
Nick left before he could see Boston falling down in tears.
📼
"How's it going?" Mew asked. Nick was sipping his drink and the scene gave him a sense of déjà vu from the first time they met just like that.
"It's fine. I haven't seen or heard about him." Mew nodded and took a sip himself. "What about you?"
"Same. Top stopped texting me, and I've heard he requested a leave of absence." Nick raised his eyebrows.
"Good you don't have to keep seeing him in corridors or something, right?" Mew agreed. "What about someone new?"
"Already?" Mew snorted. "No, thank you. I'm fine on my own for now."
"Well, if you need anything, you already know how well we work." Nick teased. Mew kicked him under the table.
"Shut up." He said, but they were both laughing.
"I'm just kidding. Another friendship with benefits would kill me." Mew laughed again and Nick felt very fond.
He knew then, from the sound of Mew's laugh, that everything was really fine.