Archive of Our Own ^beta

The two had been dating for quite a while now. Quite a while, meaning, a few years.

When they first met, the first thought AJ had of Niko was that the man was really damn tall. And Niko to AJ, was that he was miserably short.

Height differences aside, they actually bonded really quickly due to their similarities in personality and whatnot. They have the same humour, and both are what people in high school would say are the "Chaotic Duo." Always making fun of each other and everyone, and always doing the stupidest things.

They didn't know who fell first, in their constant teasings and jokes. Somehow, they like seeing the other get all annoyed and try to come up with a smarter comeback. It was always AJ trying to come up with it, because God knows how stubborn and smart that giant is.

They've had a pretty rough start trying to go past that line of just friends, but in the end they did it. They never planned to tell anyone, not even the three other friends that's most important second to each other.

They didn't want to. Both of them agreed to just keep it low, but when the two of them decided they would live together when all of them wanted to move out. AJ and Niko thought the others would've figured it out, especially Chunkz. Turns out they did not.

So, they had to figure it out the hard way. The public way, where they find out at the same time as the fans did.

AJ was streaming, for the first time in a while. His room was quite dark, different to how it usually was whenever he streamed but it was early in the morning around 2 am, and although AJ was so damn tired, he promised he'd stream.

Niko was sleeping on his bed, which was actually one of the reasons why he had to not light up his room because the younger man had a very noticeable body, long and just- outrageously tall. Even Aj's bed wasn't large enough to fit Niko's tall frame because his feet would peak out of the blanket. Niko never complained though, maybe his feet was cold but at least they were in each other's warmth, and that's enough for them.

AJ carefully set up his computer and put on his headphones quietly, opening the lamp on the side of his table so the fans would at least be able to see his face.

Hopefully the fans wouldn't be so curious as to why his room is so dark, or pay him just to tell him to open the lights because, again, a man was asleep in his room. And it's not just any man.

It's not that they didn't want to keep their relationship a secret, it's just that they're fine the way they are now. There had been no problems with their relationship and any sort of secrets here and there, they quite like the peace. Their chaotic nature, when put together either becomes the most outrageous tsunami of craziness or the calmest tides of water. Neutral. It all depends on their mood. But usually it's the latter, because they're both quite private despite how loud and annoying they seem. But they like to call it love language.

Either way, there has been no need for fixing or changing their relationship because when it comes to everything else, they're both quite adventurous. The way they even became a 'thing' was due to their adventurous nature, a curiosity to feel each other's lips, the need for a new line in their relationship and both weren't afraid to try it out at all. But when they finally settled down, they rather liked the peace, found comfort in it. When they're with their friends, they'd go on each other's throats but when it's just them. They are rather affectionate, annoying sometimes still, yes, but that's one of the things that made them fall in love with each other even more.

The chats started to flood in and of course, since this is AJ and his fans are a whole nother level of chaos, just like him. They proceeded to dare him to open the lights, called him a rat in hibernating and do rats even hibernate?

But AJ had to calm them down, brought up games to play and even called Kenny so the chat would ignore the rather odd darkness of his room. That idiot Kenny of course didn't answer, so AJ called him again. The chats had started to change to laughter and how ridiculous it was that Kenny's ignoring AJ. While his phone was still ringing, he ignored the chats that asked him to turn on the lights and answered some random questions.

When Kenny didn't answer again, AJ gave up and just set up FIFA for him to play.

The chat started to calm down now, more people watching means more varieties of people, more likely for one of them to start a ridiculous message and the whole chat will start a chain on it. AJ let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and started to lean in on his chair, happy that the stream didn't bother to tell him to turn on the lights.

While AJ was playing FIFA and relaxing, answering and replying to the chat from time to time, Kenny called him and thank God AJ's phone was silent because he really didn't want to wake up Niko. The urge to just look back to see Niko, because it's not always that Niko's the one sleeping and AJ awake, it's usually the other way around and AJ always wished he would be more of a morning person so he could see Niko's sleeping face. It's always so peaceful, and AJ always loved seeing the sun rise but he never really felt like the sun had risen if he didn't see Niko first thing in the morning.

AJ wanted to see Niko, it's only been a few minutes but he already missed the warmth of the taller man and the way Niko's long arms would wrap him up, his large hands on his back. He wants to go back to bed and sleep beside him, but looking back will surely spark curiosity on his fans and his fans wouldn't think twice on commenting on whatever they see suspicious or had lighten up an interest.

So he didn't. It's hard not to, but it's tolerable.

He answered Kenny's call, and the man asked him to be put on speaker. AJ did what was told but told him to be quiet and lowered his phone volume, put his phone speaker close to his mic so the chat could hear Kenny.

"Yo- I just started streaming right now and saw you- why the hell are you in the dark bro? You look like that guy from Smurf!"

"Who- Gargamel?" AJ saw one of the chats saying the name and said it. A confused look on his face.

"Yeah! Turn on the lights man, your fans can't even see you bro."

"Mind your own business you twat-" AJ insulted him, and proceeded to try to let this conversation go a different direction by asking him about games they will be playing. Of course, Kenny would be the one to ruin the peace.

AJ didn't notice that the bed was already empty, though because Kenny's voice, even when the volume is lowered, it is still considered loud because it's Kenny and that man can't shut up or stay quiet to save a life. The loudness of Kenny probably woke the taller man up.

Niko, half asleep and eyes barely open noticed the absence of AJ besides him and with a mind of literally nothing, walked to a noise he's sure is AJ even though he can't even see except for the bright light coming from what Niko assumed, and correctly, was AJ's computer but he didn't give it much thought. AJ loves video games after all, and they're all YouTubers so it's quite common to wake up at a random time and the first thing you do is turn on the computer. because it's AJ and there needs to be no explanation on it. It's AJ. And that's enough for him.

Niko walked to his side and AJ didn't even notice because his headphones are blaring and Kenny is just noisy from their shared stream and all of a sudden, he felt a familiar embrace.

Niko kissed his cheek and AJ had his eyes wide, thank God the light was out and possibly the people watching couldn't see. As long as Niko doesn't speak because obviously, because they would recognise his voice in an instant and it's like the world just gave him a middle finger because Niko said –and he couldn't control the volume of his voice because he literally just woke up– he continued to nearly kiss his lips as he pulled AJ closer to his face, hands on AJ's chin, "what're you doing up, babe?" Niko whispered, voice laced with sleep and it made his voice deeper somehow.

And fuck. AJ really shouldn't be finding him attractive now because the world literally just found out about him.

AJ could hear Kenny confusedly screaming through his headphones, he can even see the amount of people that started to pop up and commenting on his stream.

That's Niko, alright.

AJ, eyes wide, looked at Niko who heard Kenny through his headphones. "Fuck-" Niko said, he was half asleep a few seconds ago but he'd never been more awake now.

"You're on stream?!" Niko whispered loudly, and AJ had to bid goodbyes to the stream in a rush and stopped the stream, leaving Kenny alone in Fortnite but they're losing anyways so it wouldn't matter. And AJ had a feeling that when he meets Kenny again tomorrow, the boxer wouldn't be asking or getting mad at him about Fortnite- Kenny would instead talk about them. AJ and Niko.

Once he closed the stream, got out of Twitch and turned his PC to sleep mode, he rotated the chair to face a standing Niko who had his hands on his hips, face busy and clearly thinking.

"I'm so sorry AJ- I didn't know you were live, I swear I didn't mean it." AJ was surprised by his reaction, even at times where it's literally not his fault because the room was so dark and Niko literally just woke up- but Niko's words were so full of guilt.

"No- Niko, it's fine- I don't care if the world finds out about us. That won't change anything, it's just- how do we explain this to the boys?" AJ stood up and walked to Niko where he was in front of the taller man. AJ had to look up of course, and Niko looked down with a weak smile that showed how obvious it was that he just woke up. Despite the darkness, it feels as if the sun was already up because Niko swears he could see the whole star and universe in AJ's brown eyes, his face and his smile and his hair and just everything about the shorter man and Niko couldn't help but smile.

He wants to kiss AJ, because their height always had some sort of effect on Niko where he just wants to take it into advantage and kiss his forehead, his cheek, everything. Because for god's sakes, they'd been together for a few years now and Niko still couldn't believe that this man loves him too. Niko wants to drop down on both of his knees and thank whatever God or whoever type of Cupid that let them be together.

They didn't need to say more, about the world finding out, the fans, and their reactions and whatever the media had to say. They know nothing in this world could possibly strain their relationship or break them apart, and be in their way of love. Even if the world turns to dust, and the sun is exploding, they're pretty sure they'd just die together. They couldn't care less about homophobia, or random gossip from random strangers who doesn't even know them personally.

But what they do care about is their friends.

Sharky, Chunkz and Kenny. Niko hasn't told any of his friends and only his family, AJ too. Basically, none of their friends knew so it'll be a surprise to everyone else. AJ didn't want to let their friends feel as if they don't trust them enough to know about their relationship- because they literally just knew about this the same time the rest of the world knew about it too.

It's like they're not being let in on a secret, but it was never really Niko and AJ's intention to make it seem like it was one.

But fuck- AJ just can't help but feel as if this would maybe stain their friendship somehow. He can't deal with that, he loves his friends and he'd do anything for them.

"It's okay, AJ. We'll think about it tomorrow, surely they'll come knocking at our door first thing in the morning." Niko let out a yawn, "let's save some energy for tomorrow, yeah?"

AJ just laughed, because Niko is always damn good at convincing and AJ couldn't resist a good sleep with Niko, especially when the rest of the world around them is possibly falling apart and all AJ has is Niko. Because they're in this together, because they are together- in a way or two. Where Niko goes, AJ follows. And that's how it has always been, so this won't be any different.

So, AJ just fell to his bed (not his alone though) and before he fell asleep, he could feel Niko already hugging him and kissing his forehead, pushing away his curls. He might've said something but AJ couldn't hear as he fell asleep. Preparing physically and mentally for whatever they have to go through tomorrow.