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 Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2016 5:44 pm
Things had been easygoing for Arias; he hadn't been up to much trouble in a while, and he was liking it like that. Especially because he'd been so distracted in his civilian life. The business always picked up at this time of year, and he'd had to run a lot of promotional events. He'd already prepared his recipes for the rest of the year, but there were still a few things he hadn't perfected.
Thankfully, he had a day off--which meant he finally got to tend to his errands. It was still fairly early in the afternoon when he made his way up the stairs to his apartment. He wouldn't have suspected anything was amiss if he hadn't found the door unlocked. The door was always locked while he was gone--which meant he must have had a visitor.
There were only two people presently possessing keys to his apartment, and Carlee wasn't really that great with keeping secrets. Nick, however, was probably much better at keeping secrets--so it was either him or a robber. Probably.
Arias paused for a moment but shrugged it off and pushed his way in, carefully balancing his bags. He noted a pair of shoes by the door; no robber was polite enough to be so mindful as to not track mud into the house. Which meant, probably, Nick.
Arias made his way into the kitchen and set his bags down on the counter and figured now was as good of a time as any to make his entrance. "Nick, is that you? Have you eaten yet? I'm going to throw something in the oven."
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:30 am
Nicolae was eating some cookies…not that he was going to admit that he went down to the bakery and took a box full of cookies…but he had gone down to the bakery and stolen a box full of cookies…and now that box was half empty and Arias was home and threatening to bake more for him.
Well.
Oops.
“No, It’s Santa Claus. And how are you, Arias my dear? Did you miss me terribly? I missed you terribly.”
And of course he had missed Arias terribly, he always did when they were apart for more than a few days...which is why he almost always seemed to find his way over to the bakery at least once a week, and not just because of the free cookies that he always got no matter what...even though that was a very, very nice perk of dating a baker.
"Also, Arias, you know that I'm always hungry...feed me love. I'm like a dying seagull, caw. Caw."
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 8:12 pm
A tired smile drifted across Arias' face as he started to unpack the bags. "A dying seagull isn't very flattering, Nick."
He craned his head to get a better look at the man and eyed the box--and the missing cookies. The smile softened more.
"What flavor, this time? ...If you're here, you might as well try a few recipes. I need to work on something new for the Holidays." He left it open-ended and started putting away the groceries. He paused and wondered if now was a good time to ask the question he'd been mulling over for the past week or so.
He tried to sound nonchalant. "Speaking of the holidays, what are your plans?"
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Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2016 8:04 am
“Well I never said I was a flatterer, Arias.” Nick laughed and took another bite of the cookie he was trying to hide from the other male.
“I’ll eat anything you make, you’re actually a pretty good baker, despite...you know…” He paused shrugging. “Well, despite nothing, I guess. You’re a great baker and you always have been, so there. Try out all your new and exciting flavors on me, I can take them. Even if they taste like tar, or an old shoe, bring it on, buddy. Bring it on.”
He paused when Arias asked about his holiday plans and finally just shrugged. “I mean...I don’t know...It’s not like I have a family to go to or anything, even if I had one, they wouldn’t know me...I was…”
Nick shrugged and shoved another cookie into his mouth.
“I was kind of hoping to spend it with you….to be perfectly honest. But if you’re busy or have plans with your family...I know they don’t know about us so, eh. I’m okay with just sitting home and watching movies, that’s what I did last year. I think.”
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Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2016 8:47 am
Arias slowed what he was doing and cast a quick glance up at Nick. His lips were pursed in thought and he was quiet, still sort of taking everything in.
"Christmas is very important to my family. We've always spent it together," he answered honestly. "But I don't really think anyone ought to be home alone for Christmas. Carlee's coming over later this week to help me decorate."
He was quiet for another second and then stood up a little straighter to look at the man stealing his cookies.
"You could come over, too. Help decorate some."
He was quiet for a few seconds longer, eyes drifting back to the countertop. "Mom's already asked if I'm bringing someone over for Christmas."
He paused once more, and then, "I told her yes."
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 5:07 am
“Well clearly you’ll need my great expertise in Christmas decorations, so I suppose I’ll have to come and help you protect your manly apartment from the hands of your fourteen year old sister.”
Nick grinned, though the grin faded rather quickly and his mouth felt rather dry. Oh. He…Arias was inviting him to his family’s house for Christmas…well…
Well. That was new.
“You told your mom you were bringing someone?” He tried to fill his voice with bravado, with confidence, and tried again to grin. “Who are you gonna bring?” He wanted it to be him, but…well, that wasn’t very likely. So far as he knew, Arias’s parents didn’t even know about him yet…so why would he be invited home. Arias was supposed to bring home a nice pretty girl, not him.
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 6:04 am
Though Arias quirked a brow just slightly at his 'manly' apartment, and the thought of Carlee doing anything less than a superb job; he still wore a faint smile. It lingered with Nick's questions, and his eyes flicked up to give him a critical look before he returned his gaze to reading the back of a label.
He was standing by the counter, resting on his elbows.
"Well, I had you in mind when I answered, so I was thinking, if you weren't busy, I'd bring you."
His voice didn't waver, and there was no hesitation. Arias had spent enough time worrying in private so that he could even have conversations about it. He had practiced. He didn't like always being on edge or worrying. So he was just going to keep pushing things until he didn't have to, anymore.
It wasn't just about his parents knowing who he was dating. It was everything.
Arias was tired of the constant knot in his stomach, the constant weight of concern for everything weighing him down. Tired of taking medicine to calm a stomach that was only upset because his mind wouldn't calm down.
So he was going to try something different.
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 5:51 am
The blonde sat there, half stunned for a moment, and finally got himself up out of the chair, walking over to Arias and wrapping his arms around him. “I could…I could never be too busy for you. I love you.”
He did love Arias, a lot. A whole lot. More than was necessary, to be honest…Arias was his rock, his safe place…
“You know…you really should start teaching me some sign language or your parents and I will have absolutely nothing to talk about…”
Why did he have to turn everything into a goddamn joke? Why couldn’t he stay serious for more than thirty seconds at a time? It wasn’t fair. No wonder Arias seemed so bent out of shape…he was just an a**…
“…Do you think they’ll like me…?”
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 8:15 am
Arias appreciated the hug and partly leaned back into it. He didn't get up and make much effort to return it, instead facing the counter still. He laughed softly, perhaps for Nick's comfort more than out of humor.
"They always told me I was a pretty good judge of character. If I like you, they'll like you."
He hadn't told them anything bad. Or anything really. Carlee was probably filtering all sorts of information to them, and while that was reassuring in that it meant he didn't have to tell them, he couldn't help but be nervous still. But he was going to do his best to let Nick see that.
"...And if you want, maybe when you're done raiding my cookies, I'll teach you how to sign letters. We'll work from there, but at least you'll be able to communicate a little better. They're pretty good at reading lips though, and Carlee and I can translate, so don't worry too much about anything being awkward. All you have to worry about is not saying anything silly. Don't insult mom's cooking, or let them know we're powered," he started, turning the sink on and washing his hands so he could start cooking. He tried to keep his voice stable and nonchalant, "Or that you're seeing other people."
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 8:37 am
Nick liked the fact that Arias leaned into the hug and in response he rested his chin on the brunettes shoulder, going so far as to plant a light kiss on his neck. “Well, I think you’re a pretty good judge of character since you picked me too…so at least we’ll agree on something.”
He began laughing when Arias threw the fact that he was stealing his cookies out into the open and made to protest after a moment that he would never insult his mothers cooking or ever let anyone know that they were powered, and then Arias let loose the bombshell, and Nicks laughter died.
“I…I’m not seeing other people.” It felt like there was ice in his veins and he pulled away from Arias, taking a step backwards. “You’re the only person that I’m in a relationship with. You’re the only person that I want to be in a relationship with.”
Sure…he liked fooling around with Ashanite…even maybe loved him…or something…but unless Ashanite decided to switch sides and come back to the side of Order…that was just a big, messy dead end. And it was toxic. He knew it was a toxic thing…but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t help…his desires…
“…Is that how I’ve made you feel?”
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 9:01 am
Arias blinked slowly; his lips pressed together a bit and he suddenly felt very stupid. He kept telling himself it wasn't worth it to open his mouth--to just stay quiet and accept it. But it kept rubbing him the wrong way and left his heart feeling chafed.
"Yes," he said bluntly, and though it was the honest truth, he still had to force the word out.
His eyes drifted away and his brows furrowed as he tried to collect his thoughts. "...After that talk we had...I don't know. All that talk of you falling in love so easily, of thinking you might like to be in other relationships. You didn't bring it up again. I just sort of figured..."
His voice trailed off. "...That had been you trying to tell me there were others."
Arias turned to Nick once more. "...There aren't?" he asked, sounding both guilty--and hopeful.
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 9:11 am
“I am not in any other relationships.” Nick rubbed at his forehead and sighed. “I…I do like someone else though, but it’s impossible. He’s on the other side of the…It’s Ashanite, the one I think I told you about before…It’s complicated, Arias…whatever we have, he and I, I mean…it’s not a relationship. Hell, I don’t even think it’s really healthy…but…but I can’t help how I feel about him, even though it’s nothing compared to how I feel about you. I couldn’t corrupt to be with him because I had you. You are the most important person in the world to me…and I’m sorry I hurt your feelings.”
He drew in a breath and walked back to the couch, flopping on it with a disgruntled sigh.
“I kiss him. I hold him. I’m not going to lie to you about that. I am very physically attracted to him, and if he were to purify, I know I would try to talk you in to letting us be some sort of a threesome. But…I really don’t think that’s going to happen, so I just…I don’t know. Part of me says it’s okay because I’m trying to help him find the light again, and another part of me just says I’m ******** horny all the time…but…”
He swallowed and shrugged. “I don’t think about things with him like I do with you. I don’t think about any sort of future with him. I don’t think about marrying him, and maybe adopting kids with him, I don’t think about asking to move in with him…honestly all I think about with him is physical pleasure. It’s stupid, but I can’t stop it. And I’m sorry.”
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 12:43 pm
Arias drew in a breath, and a part of him was angry that Nick would say such things. A part of him was frustrated that Nick just felt these things, and that there wasn't any apparent 'easy' resolution. There wasn't any way to 'fix' them. This wasn't a compromise or something they could work out.
He was mad that Nick was out kissing people--bad people, even!--but there was a small part of him that felt reassured that there were no relationships.
He couldn't do a threesome. Arias couldn't even wrap his head around it, so he didn't even bother trying.
He would remember the name Ashanite, and he would resent him for what he'd done to Nick. Arias wasn't a jealous person, but for the briefest second he actually thought that he wouldn't care of he stayed brainwashed by Chaos.
He sighed heavily and gave up on food for the moment, moving across the room to join Nick on the couch. He liked...some of what he was hearing. Not the rest. But a house, settling down, kids. They were still young, but Arias knew what his end goal was going to be. Maybe not all at once, or even for a few years--but he knew what he wanted.
He leaned back against Nick. "...What's so good about him, then? ...If you don't want those things--a future--what is it? ...Just...lust?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2016 11:01 am
Nick’s arms snaked around Arias the moment he sat down and he held him as though he were a giant stuffed bear. “I mean…yeah. I think it’s just lust. Lust and leftover…something. There are still times where I still…feel the pull towards chaos, and sometimes I really think he’s the catalyst for a lot of things. He’s so stupid. I watched him get corrupted…and only started talking to him so I could help bring him back…so I don’t know…”
He swallowed, burying his face against Arias, inhaling the scent of his hair. “I ******** up somewhere along the way and you know what almost happened. He almost pulled me back to the darkness…he’s bad for me, I know he is, but I can’t stop myself. It’s playing with fire and I know I’m stupid as hell for doing it…but I can’t stop…I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry for doing it, Arias…”
He didn’t know what else to say. He hoped it would be enough…because it was all he had.
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2016 11:02 am
Arias couldn't help but wonder if it was lost feelings from the life he'd had before--before he purified. They didn't talk about it often, but it was easier to think that maybe Nick's conflicting emotions stemmed from memories he'd forgotten. He couldn't know, and wouldn't ask, but used that thought to comfort himself.
Arias allowed the arms around him and closed his eyes as he thought.
"It's okay," he said after a moment. "...If you play with fire for long enough, you'll burn yourself. But they say, the first time you touch a hot stove is the last time you do it. If he's with the Negaverse," he shrugged, "Eventually he'll hurt you. And I can only hope you learn your lesson, then. But I suppose, at least you'll have me to patch you up. And I'll have your back."
He sighed, perhaps a bit dramatically--at least, for him.
"But, I suppose if he's the only one I have to worry about, maybe we'll just have to patrol together. Besides," he turned to him and gave him a stern look. "...You get into too much trouble on your own. You need a chaperone."
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