Work Text:
Brandon starts packing all of his art belongings as his class is over and the professor dismisses them a bit earlier. He gets out of his class smiling and nodding at the people who greet him. He makes it out of the main door and into the entrance that has a garden on both sides and a path in the middle that leads to the parking lot.
He didn’t bring his own car because Nikolai was hell bent on dropping and picking him off from the university. He starts to make his way to the parking lot after texting Niko about his class being over early, who eagerly replied, “On my way, baby.” Brandon shakes his head at his boyfriend’s shenanigans.
Just as he’s about to reach the parking lot, he hears someone call his name and turns around to see the source of the sound. He sees a tall but muscular guy walking towards him. He doesn’t recognize the man, but as he gets closer, he can see the man’s features. Dirty blonde hair, sharp jaw, and hazel eyes. “Um, hi?” Brandon says he is not sure how to approach the situation. The man now is standing in front of him, and Brandon notices that he’s taller than him but not as tall as Niko.
“You’re Brandon King, right?” The guy asks, and Brandon nods and clears his throat before speaking. “Uh, yeah. Can I help you?” Not getting why a complete stranger is coming up and talking to him. There’s a high chance this has something to do with Lan, he thinks. “No, yeah. I have just heard so much about you in the art community and seen your paintings. They are absolutely amazing! I’m Ashton Fox, by the way. I just transferred to this university.” Ashton says and sticks his hand out for a handshake.
Brandon felt even more confused now. He was used to receiving compliments on his paintings, but never when he was walking in the parking lot on a random Tuesday. He shakes Ashton’s hand because he doesn't want to seem rude. "Thanks, I guess.” Brandon mumbles, not sure what else to say.
“You’re twin brother of Landon King, right?” Ah, there it is. It does always circle back to his twin brother, he thought. “Yeah, I am. Do you need anything with him?” Brandon asks, already knowing where the conversation is headed. “Oh, no, not at all. I’m just a little shocked that you look the same but also so different from him.” Ashton says. “You’re somehow prettier.” He continues.
“Huh?” Brandon forrows his brows and tilts his head to the side. Niko says that to him all the time. Calls him pretty and beautiful and other things that should not be said out in public. But someone other than Niko calling him pretty is a first, and especially another guy.
“And I was wondering if you and I could catch up for a coffee sometime? I really like your painting style and want to learn from you.” He continues, and his hazel eyes shine as he smiles at Brandon. This conversation was giving Brandon a whiplash, but nonetheless he was happy because someone had taken an interest in his painting.
“Are you sure you want to learn from me and not my brother?” Brandon asks just to make sure. “Of course, it would be an honor to learn from you. I wanted to talk to you since the first time I saw you. So, when are you free?” Ashton asks and puts his hand on Brandon’s left arm. And before Brandon can even comprehend and respond, a deep voice booms behind him.
“You might wanna take your hand off of him before I break it.” Nikolai’s voice hits Brandon’s ears. Brandon gasps when a hand wraps around his waist and spins him so that he is facing Nikolai. “Niko!” Brandon’s voice comes out breathless, partly from being spun around and startled and partly because he was turned on how easily Nikolai can manhandle him.
“Excuse me, who are you?” Brandon hears Ashtons voice and is suddenly brought back to reality. “I’m his boyfriend and the one who is going to put you in a fucking casket; who the fuck are you?” Niko steps forward, putting Bran behind him, ready to pound on the fucker who was flirting with his Lotus Flower in broad daylight.
“Niko!” Bran gasps because he hadn’t realized how long he had been talking to this guy. “Hey baby, you called me to pick you up, but I didn’t realize it was so that I can see this fucker flirting with you? He even touched you with his filthy hands; should I chop it off? Nikolai speaks and Ashton looks mortified. “Oh my god, Niko, stop threatening random people. And he wasn’t flirting with me; he just wanted to discuss art with me.” Brandon tried to de-escalate the situation, only making it worse.
“Lotus Flower, I don’t know how you can be this oblivious, but the fucker is definitely flirting with you.” Nikolai insists, and Brandon looks at him like he has grown two heads and turns to Ashton to prove his point. “Tell him you were not flirting with me and just wanted to discuss art, right?” Brandon questions, not sure of himself now.
Because there was no way, girls flirt with him all the time, and he used to respond to some before he met Niko, but now he just ignores them. Men are a different story; he didn’t think he would be flirted with out and about on campus unless he’s in a gay bar.
Ashton looks sheepish and runs his hand at the back of his head. “I kinda was. I don’t think a random straight guy would come to you and call you pretty. Which you are, by the way.”
“That’s it; I’m breaking your neck.” Nikolai moves, and Ashtons backs off, not wanting to fight a giant muscle man that looks like a mafia prince. He had heard a rumor going around that Brandon King was gay and wanted to shoot his shot, but nobody told him he had a boyfriend who looked like he punched people for fun. If opposite attracts was an image, it would be them.
“Baby no!” Bran holds Niko by the waist, hugging him because, like an instinct, Niko hugs him back. And he whispers something in Niko’s ears, making the bigger man tighten his hold on Bran and his eyes darken. Brandon then turns around to face Ashton, who was watching everything unfold before his eyes. “I’m sorry, he is very protective.” As if to prove his point, Nikolai growls from behind Bran and looks like his guard dog. “And I didn’t know you were flirting with me. I didn’t mean to lead you on. I’ve been in a happy relationship with Niko for almost two years now,” he continues and looks at his boyfriend with such tenderness that makes Ashton’s heart clench, and he suddenly gets it.
"No, it’s completely fine. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend. I approached you so I could ask you on a date. And everything I said is true, so its a bummer you’re not single.” Ashton explains that Brandon has the most adorable, confused-looking face and would’ve called him adorable if not for the muscled giant bodyguard who has now wrapped his entire body onto Brandon and a lethal glare aimed at him. “You keep talking, and all my previous warnings will become a reality.” Niko speaks.
“There’s no need; it was nice talking to you, Brandon. I’ll see you around.” Ashton says and walks away. “Like hell you will.” Niko says and moves to chase him, but Bran pulls him back. “Lotus Flower, you will not see him around.” Niko says seriously, and Bran sighs already, knowing his boyfriend’s possessiveness will turn up a notch now.
“I won’t see him around Niko. You don’t have to worry because no one will ever come even close to what you are in my life.” Bran says as he stands on his tiptoes and kisses his boyfriend on the cheek. “Damn right, they don’t.” Niko grins and wraps his arm around his waist.
“Come on, let’s go home.” Bran says, interlinking there fingers, and Niko presses his lips against the back of his hand. “Okay, but we need to stop at the bakery and buy some macarons.”
“What? I just bought a box full of macarons yesterday. Niko, you cannot keep inhaling a whole box of macarons in one sitting on a daily basis. We’re going straight home, and I’m making something healthy for dinner.” Bran says sternly and does not budge despite the puppy dog eyes Niko was giving him. They get into the car as Niko drives off.
“Okay, if you do not eat the macarons, I’ll sit on your face later.” Bran says with a smirk. The car screeches to a halt, making both of them shake on their seats. “Nokolai! What the hell?” Bran breathes heavily. “What? You can’t say shit like that and expect me not to react!”
Bran’s phone dings and he digs it out of his pocket as Nikolai continues to drive. “Okay, change of plans. Lan invited us to the mansion for dinner. Mum and Dad came to visit.” Bran tells Nikolai, who is grinning now. “Fuck yeah!” Niko exclaims, and Bran gives him a weird look. “What? I just want to make sure I’m still on his good side.”
Nikolai changes the direction and drives towards the Elite’s mansion. He takes Bran’s had with one and another on the steering wheel. Kissing the back of his hand, he intertwines their fingers together and sees the shade on his boyfriend’s cheeks change to a supple pink.
—
Reaching the Elite’s mansion, Niko parks the car, then he and Bran walk fingers intertwined into the living room. Bran could already smell the delicious aroma of the food his father had cooked. He can hear the chatter of his family before he can see them.
As his family comes into the field of his vision, he sees Lan and Mia sitting together on the sofa, lost in their own world, while Glyn and his mom were busy on some painting at another side of the room, and Killian and his dad were sitting at each end of the sofa, ignoring each other.
Bran’s dad is the first to see them coming, and his frowning face morphs into a huge grin as he calls out. “Bran! My son, you’re here.” Levi gets up and opens his arms for Bran to slide right in. He hugs his dad in a tight embrace. After the dark day in their lives, he can feel that his dad always hugs him tighter, like Bran could disappear if he didn’t.
“Hello Sir.” Niko’s voice comes from the side, and Levi nods. “Hello Niko.” Is all he says, and Niko grins because his father-in-law greets him instead of glaring at him like he always does with Killian.
“Bran!” His mom and sister say in unison as they come and hug both him and Nikolai. Mia has also left Lan and come to greet them. “Hey little sis.” Niko says as he hugs his sister.
“Hey little bro.” Lan says as he ruffles Bran’s hair, and Bran resists the urge to whine because his perfect hair is being messed up. “Did you come straight from home?” Levi asks, and Bran shakes his head. Bran is about to speak, but Nikolai cuts him to it. “I was just picking up Bran from the university; we would have reached home if he wasn’t too busy giving a guy who was flirting with him his time.”
“For the last time I didn’t know he was flirting with me.” Bran rolled his eyes. “Classic Bran.” Landon cackled, which made Bran turn his head to his twin. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Bro, you can’t tell if someone is flirting with you even if it hits you in the face.” Landon states as if it is some sort of fact that everyone knows. Brandon frowns. “That’s not true.” A pause. “Is it?” Brandon makes a confused face.
"Sorry, Bran, it kinda is.” Glyn speaks now. “See baby, everyone agrees.” Nikolai says, looking smug. “Remember years ago at a party that guy named Louis was trying to get into your pants?” Landon asks, and he hears Nikolai growl. “He was not flirting or ‘trying to get into my pants’ as you said. He just liked Agatha Christie, and we bonded over it.” He defends.
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that. That guy came and asked me what you liked, and just out of amusement, I told him about your boring books. It was funny to watch him trying to get with you while you were totally oblivious to your advances.” Landon snorted as if that were the funniest thing in the world.
“Who is this Luke guy? I need the address for research purposes.” Nikolai asks as he comes to wrap his arms around Brandon. “Someone who was throwing himself at Bran’s feet, but he was too oblivious to notice and get off of him, you leech.” Landon says.
“Leave my son alone. It’s not his fault that people like him. But, son, you can be very oblivious to people showing interest in you.” Levi speaks, and Brandon groans. “Dad, not you too.”
“Okay, enough chitchat. It is time for dinner, and stop ganging up on Bran!” Astrid orders, and everyone starts getting seated. Brandon fell at peace looking at his family all talking and having the best time. He looks at Niko, who squeezes his thigh and smiles at him. How did he get so lucky? He asks this question every day. He pecks at his boyfriend’s lips and says, “I love you, Niko.” “I love you more, Lotus Flower.”