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Chapter Text

Nigel's gaze washed the street calmly but anyone pierced by the maroon orbs would have felt anything but. To his right were two men he did not trust but outward appearance means everything, and it would do good for possible "acquaintances" to see that Nigel was no man to mess with. To his left two more men whom he did trust to some degree, but their loyalty only came from being spared of his wrath during various gang wars.

He'd kill all of them in a blink of an eye just to make a point though.

Suddenly Nigel reached for the gun under his shirt, not yet pulling it out.

"S-sorry" A stuttering voice spoke out. Before Nigel could grab the shorter man he was already past him. Nigel stood with his little group watching the man.

"I say we go for 'em." One of them spoke up. Nigel almost did...almost. But something about the man, maybe his gait, or the twitching, but something about him was almost childlike. He decided not to pursue the man by simply continuing to the club, the memory of the small man with neatly tamed curls fading with every drink and every stripper.

!~!*!~!

When Adam got home he first did his chores, his dad's crossed out name a reminder of his being alone. After all of his sweeping was done he disappeared into his room, turning off the lights and turning on his space projector.

'Why couldn't I have been born there?' Adam wondered in his head, soon his thoughts were swarmed with all the reasons why it would not have been possible for him to be born or sustain life on the planets he looked upon. But maybe another galaxy. Maybe there were more people like him.

Maybe one day his stomach wouldn't hurt when he looked at how happy everyone else was with their friends, families, loves.

Not that Adam really understood how he felt though.

!~!*2 weeks later*!~!

Nigel sits outside of the strip club on a ledge accompanied by three women; two hanging onto his sides and one leaning on his back. To any bypasser this is a man who knows his way around, at least enough to have the three best workers of the most elite club in town practically worshiping him.

But Adam's not just any bypasser.

"Hey honey how about taking a rest here for a while." The girl on Nigel's back purred as Adam walked by. These girls knew what to look for. Adam dressed nice, no, not suits, but nice enough to look like he wasn't a slob, and his hair was neatly gelled and parted, surely he must be important in some office or head quarters.

How could they know he only occupied an empty janitor's closet?

Adam glanced at the scene with innocent curiosity but he wasn't stupid, he kept going. Nigel's cool stare stayed on Adam as he attempted to keep walking. He looked familiar.

"N-no tha-ank you." He managed to get out.

"Hey!" A voice bellowed through the open door. Adam tried to keep walking, until a large fat hand jerked his shoulder.

"What's wrong with my girls huh?" The same voice permeated his ears in a puff of thick heavy smoke. Adam coughed as he tried to back away. "I-I'm sorry." He stammered out, still trying to get out of the grasp.

A harsh push and Adam was on the ground, his face mixing with blood on the concrete.

"Oh for fuck's sake Jack fuck off!" Adam faintly heard a heavy accent spew.

Whoever had pushed Adam mumbled something along the lines of 'it's always the fags who get under my skin'

The younger man was being pulled up by his arm, a hand firmly wrapped around his elbow. Adam looked around to see the girls sauntering after Jack into the club, then his attention focused on the man in front of him.

"Hey kid, you okay?" That same accented voice asked. Adam looked up at the man, but it only made his head hurt more. He tried to get out of Nigel's grip but the man held on. "Maybe you should see a doctor?" Nigel asked, suddenly alarmed that he even went to help this guy.

Adam shook his head no, causing blood to splash onto the other man's dog printed bowling shirt. "Oi look there, Nigel's got 'em self a lil twink!" A high pitched voice rang out of a group of men approaching.

Adam watched as the older man seemingly growled at them but they kept coming closer. "So what, gonna take his money, kill 'em, fuck 'em or all three?" Another man asked with a bitter laugh.

'Why do I even deal with these people, I could be running the greatest crime empire right now, but now, I'm stuck with these morons and some bleeding guy.' Nigel thought, reflecting on his luck.

"Piss off" Nigel barked, only to be met with crude laughter.

"Oh come on Nigey, you can share can't ya?" The same man asked, reaching out to stroke Adam's cheek.
Adam looked away at the contact and tried to get out of the grasp again, his breathing getting faster.

Something inside Nigel ticked when Brian tried to touch the man in his grasp. Nigel yanked on the boy's arm as he began walking him to his car. It was old, but nice, nothing too flashy, but enough to get places.

Adam tried to protest as Nigel shoved him in the passenger side, but he was not strong enough.

The group dispersed into the club after seeing such behavior from Nigel, none of them willing to further aggravate the dangerous man.

"Where do you live?" Nigel asked, but it sounded more like a bark with the roar of the engine.

Little did he know what was going on in Adam's head.

'Too much touching
No don't touch me
Please don't talk to me just let me leave
I can't breath, my chest is tightening
Don't let him touch me please
Where am I being taken
They're all so mean'

The thoughts zoomed in Adam's mind until his body could no longer take it and did it's best to shield of the danger.

"What the fuck?" Nigel breathed as he watched the younger man fold in on himself, his sweater covered arms and pale hands grasping his shoulders as he shook and panted.

Nigel wasn't stupid. He knew something was obviously wrong with the man, more than just the bash to his head. 'Maybe something's fucked in his head' He thought.

Suddenly the man stopped moving all together, and slumped over.

Nigel didn't feel like dragging off another body, so he was thankful when he saw the rise and fall of the smaller man's body.

He took one last look behind him making sure no one was following and began driving to his apartment with the strange bloody blacked out man in his passenger seat.

Chapter Text

"Hey kid, you alright?"

Adam's head was throbbing, he lifted his hand and felt a taped patch of gauze above his left eye, secured to his forehead and temple.
The young man squinted his eyes, trying to figure out what happened, oblivious to the bowed man in front of him.

"What's your name?" Nigel asked, his voice unusually quiet, almost caring.

"A-Adam." The young man spoke, after being startled by Nigel.

"Do you know what happened?" Nigel asked, battling with himself on why he even brought this guy- Adam, back to his flat.

Adam shook his head in short sporadic movements.
Nigel considered lying to him, maybe making some money...but he didn't.

"You were pushed and fell to the ground, hit your head pretty hard."
Adam focused on the man in front of him as he rememberd. His rich accent, his deeply bronzed skin, his sandy blond hair. "Where am I?" Adam asked in a too delicious innocent tone.

"My apartment," Nigel replied with an evil little smirk. "I'm Nigel by the way."

Adam nodded at the introduction of the strange accent man and then made to get up, he was ready to go home.

"Woah, woah, where you going?" Nigel asked, his tone on the verge of danger.
"Home." Adam replied simply, his voice monotone as ever. "Thank you for taking care of me." He said awkwardly as he continued to the door. "Don't you want to stay for a drink, a beer or something?" Nigel called out, feeling offended at his guest's manners.
"No thank you." Adam's voice quiet as he shut the door behind him.

Nigel shook his head, 'whatever, kid's probably fucked up, no need to try to get into that.' he thought.

!~!*!~!

Adam had a long day.
When he got home he began to call for his father, until his passing hit him really hard for the first time since it happened.

Adam swept.
And marked his chores off.
Adam ate, and was curious why his food tasted so salty.

Adam went to the bathroom to look at his head. He was upset that the whole incident made him later getting home.
He looked in the mirror and was shocked to see his eyes. Why were they red and puffy?
His face was wet, and he thought about how nice it might would be to be with someone. To have someone to tell his thoughts to, to have someone to listen to the things he likes, to have someone to listen to him talk about bumping into strangers and then being taken to their homes to be patched up. Just to have someone.

'That would be nice.' He thought.
But how would he ever be able to talk to someone?
No one ever wanted to talk to him.

But then a light went on in Adam's head. 'That man! Nigel! He seemed nice, he even invited me to stay for a while.' Adam's thoughts rapid fired as he changed into his pajamas. 'Next time I see him I'll say hi. I wonder if he likes the stars? I'll tell him all about space and the new toy I'm working on! I bet he'll be interested, he seemed nice.'
Adam's head raced with ideas and what he'd say to the strange new man...if he ever saw him again.

Adam frowned as he crawled into bed, after checking his telescope. He hoped he would be able to see the man again.

!~!*!~!

After managing to run off a woman he picked up last night from the club, Nigel got a shower, then called up some men.
~
"We doin' a hit today?" Jimmy asked, standing among the four men he called today.

"Yes." Nigel replied simply.

"Well who is it?" Jack asked, impatient as always.

"Don't worry about it." Nigel kept his voice steady.

"Come on Nigey who the fuck is it?" Jack asked again.

Suddenly Nigel turned to Jack, his eyes sharp and watching. "If you're going to be asking questions why don't you go back to your little club like the little bitch you are?" Nigel questioned, piercing Jack with his dark eyes. Jack grumbled but said nothing else as they all piled into Nigel's car.

!~!*!~!

Adam had been walking around the city for a while now.

He even left work five minutes early. No one questioned him, but he got plenty of stares. Adam Raki, breaking his routine?

He tried to think of places a man like Nigel would go to. But he couldn't for the life of him think of one single place. Adam thought hard about the times he'd seen Nigel.

The time he bumped into him on North's 4th Street, and then at the strip club.

Adam didn't want to go to the strip club, he didn't like it. But maybe Nigel was there. Nigel would want to talk to him, since he's been so nice.

!~!*!~!

"Who was that, seriously, Nigel, who the fuck did we just throw into the river?"

"Just an old friend." Nigel's voice trickled with amusement.

The men grumbled around him, but the griping noises quickly turned to cat calls as the women of the club poured out for a smoke break.

Nigel didn't particularly feel like wooing one tonight, he wasn't sure why though. So he just kept sat on his ledge and smoked.

"Hi." Nigel looked up from the bug on the side walk to a man with a big shy smile and a jittering body.

Nigel looked at, 'oh for fuck's sake what's his name...' Adam, for a moment before sighing and replying, "Hi."

"What's your favorite star?" The young man asked, his monotone voice raising a pitch just slightly, showing his excitement.

Nigel looked at him confused. "My what?"

"Your favorite star." Adam replied, as if Nigel was the crazy one.

Nigel shook his head and sighed when Brian came around. "Ay Nigel, this that lil queer that was hanging around yesterday?"

Adam looked at Brian a little hurt, but turned back to Nigel, hoping the man would give him an answer.

Nigel met those blue eyes of Adam. They were pale in the light but seemed to be bursting with anticipation for whatever his answer may be. Nigel found himself not being able to tear away from that vacant gaze. Brian seemed to lose interest and walked away. Nigel noticed the patch gone from Will's head, but a scar was obviously going to form.

Adam still waited for an answer.

For the life of him, Nigel could not figure out why he was trying so hard to think of a star to tell this guy. 'What the fuck am I doing? And who is the prick to think he can just talk to me?' The older man thought to himself. But despite his annoyance and blatant confusion, he heard himself finally spit out, "Sirius." it was the only star he could think of.

Adam smiled, Nigel couldn't help the creases that formed at his eyes upon seeing the young man smile, it was beautiful. 'What the fuck.' Nigel thought again.

"Okay thank you." Adam said. Nigel was just as confused as when Adam walked up to him, but he just shook his head as the young man walked off.

When Adam finally got home he began working.

Chapter Text

Adam had never had a friend like Nigel before.

Well, Adam chose to believe he and Nigel were friends. After all, he took him to his apartment just to take care of him, friends do that, right?
Nigel was the first friend Adam has had in a long time, he was already planning what they could do together. He wanted to surprise Nigel, wanted to show him how happy he was for his friendship.

!~!*!~!

Any friend Nigel has ever had eventually ended up dead, or would. Some people learn too much. Too much about him, too close.

So today he thought about who he needed to get rid of first.

Only two were left in the chain. One, more compromising than the other.

Calls were made, and Charlie grabbed his gun.

!~!*!~!

"Nigel, you've got to stop this, you're gonna get caught!" Jimmy, hysteric as always.

"Why don't you shut the fuck up or you're next." Nigel all but yelled, causing the man to slink back into his seat in the car.

Nigel didn't need these jack offs to talk about getting caught. He couldn't wait to leave here. Only one more to go; Donald Sutcliffe.

*

Despite Adam's excitement about finding Nigel and surprising him today, he still focused hard on his work, though his eyes had dark circles. He stayed up a long time working on Nigel's surprise. A couple people asked if he was feeling alright, he only nodded slightly, just enough to acknowledge their presence as he worked on the little robot.
*
Adam carried his bag as if it contained the most precious treasure ever had. And to him, it was.

Adam had worked on a model of Sirius for months before he met Nigel, he put a lot of himself into it. Last night he worked the hardest he could possible to make it perfect. He even wrote essays on it. He thought he got off topic just a few times, but it was important!

Adam hoped Nigel would like it.

!~!*!~!

"You like that daddy?" Freddie asked, grinding on Nigel's hips while he sat outside. Rather obscene, but the weather was nice.

Nigel only smiled while the girl danced in his lap, his group sitting around him with jealousy on their faces.

Adam walked as quick as he could to the club, he wondered why Nigel liked it so much, but Nigel was strange, in a good way, he thought.

Nigel didn't see Adam, when Adam saw Nigel. He didn't see the smile that lit the young man's face upon seeing, who he thought, was his friend. Adam could be heart breakingly naive sometimes.

"Hi!" Adam bubbled, too excited for his own good. Nigel dragged his gaze from the half naked girl to the man standing stiff with anticipation and and a cheery smile. Nigel couldn't have been more annoyed at the moment. "Hi." He said shortly, turning his gaze back to the woman he planned on taking to a hotel tonight.

Adam didn't seem to register the compromising position of Nigel, nor the goodbye in his hello.

"I made you something." Adam said again, still excited, this time both Nigel and Freddie turned to the man with annoyed expressions.
Adam shuffled around in his bag and pulled out a package with a huge stack of papers tied in ribbon on top, completed with a bow.

Nigel didn't know what to say when Adam held out the package. 'What the fuck is this guy doing?' He thought. Nigel looked at his group in his peripheral vision, then to the woman in his lap. He couldn't be seen associating with this guy, this nobody. Why the fuck is he even still coming here?

"Fuck off." Nigel said sharply, turning back to Freddie.

Adam's eyebrow's knitted together. What was Nigel doing ? It must be just a game friends do.

Adam gave a shaky laugh, "Here." he said again, his eyes sparkling, waiting for his "friend" to accept his gift.

"He said fuck off!" Garrett yelled, getting up. Suddenly all four men were getting up, walking past Nigel where he still sat. Adam looked confused. Nigel watched.

"Hey, stop that," Adam squeaked when Jack pushed him, hard; his back slamming against a lamp post. Adam blinked hard, trying not to cry. "I- I just want to give my friend his present." Adam managed to get out before getting a punch to the face.

Nigel watched with curiosity at Adam's reaction. His friend? Since when were they friends? This kid must be really fucked up to think I'm his frie- "Nigel!" Adam's broken stuttered scream tore through Nigel like lightening. He hadn't even noticed Freddie had climbed off of him and left to go back into the club.

Adam's pale eyes pleaded with his as the package he held in his hand was carelessly thrown to the ground by Jimmy. Nigel heard a crack, though whether it was from the package or Adam's head as Jack slammed it to the post, was unknown.

Nigel watched as his men beat the man for bothering him, having the nerve to call him a friend.

Why did this guy think they were so close?

Despite Nigel needing to keep up an image, it really was hard seeing the poor man being bashed around by his gruff group.
Why did he care?
"Stop." Nigel cut through the broken cries and muffled blows to the stomach.
All the men looked to him.

Except Adam. His eyes stayed on the ground, tears and blood falling.

The men turned back to Adam, then to Nigel. They shrugged and walked back into the club, as if nothing had happened. These people were too dangerous to have fantasies of being friends with their leader.

"Why don't you stop by to see me sometime? I'll tear that sweet twink ass of yours apart." Brian growled as he walked away. Nigel glared at the man as he went inside.

"Go on." Nigel barked. Adam finally looked up, his eyes big and watery, sad and broken. "But Ni-" "Go." Nigel said, his voice commanding. Adam didn't understand.
"Just fucking leave, I'm not your friend, stay the fuck away from me and stop crying, you're acting like a bitch." Nigel's words were ended with a slap to Adam's face. It stung and hurt worse than the blows he received from the whole group.

Adam looked up at the tanned man, confused, hurt beyond words.

Nigel wouldn't have felt so bad if Adam could have just yelled at him, or maybe even hit him. But no, that wasn't Adam.

Adam's bottom lip trembled as he made eye contact with the man. "I hope you like what I made, I worked really hard, it took months to make." Adam's voice stuttered when he spoke, then he picked up his bag, his movements slow, the pain filling his gut, he walked away with a limp, his shoulders weighed down as if they held the world.

Nigel sighed and stood with his mouth open at the young man as he walked off. Something deep in him hurt. Actually hurt. That guy didn't deserve that, obviously something was wrong with him, fucked in the head or somethin-'oh shut up' Nigel thought as he picked up the package of the ground. He wasn't sure why he threw it in his car before going to find, oh who was it, Freddie, he drove to the nearest hotel, didn't need some bitch knowing where he lived.

!~!*!~!

Nigel woke up before Freddie, as usual. He threw some money on the bed before getting dressed, then went to his car. He wasn't sure why he felt so...different. What happened?

He didn't realize the package in the back seat until he made it back to his apartment. He took it in and the memory of Adam hit him, hard. Harder than it should have.

Why did he care so much about someone so irrelevant?

He opened it, and felt guilt, something he hadn't felt in a very long time.

As he set the plastic ball onto his kitchen counter and pressed the only button, he really really felt terrible.

It was beautiful, obviously something that took a lot of time.

The plastic ball lit into a brilliant blue, and glowed from some sort of light on the inside. Mechanical appendage-like shapes unfurled, forming into a dog shape. He didn't know what it meant, but he could tell it took time. One appendage didn't stick out all the way, it must have broke when it fell. Nigel sighed as he flipped through the 100 pages of information and stories of the constellation Canis Major. He read the first twelve pages about how Sirius was the brightest star in the night sky, and about its bluish color. He also read about the constellation it was apart of, apparently a dog that helped the great hunter Orion. Nigel didn't get past the twelfth page. He didn't want to keep reading. Adam must have put a lot of work into putting this together for him, someone he thought was his friend.

But what made him think they were friends?

A note fell out of the stack of papers as Nigel carried them to his bedroom, unsure why he was keeping it though. He picked up the paper as he headed back to the kitchen for a beer.

" 8:30 PM Friday night, State college on 8th street.
I hope you'll come, I think you'll like it. It's a whole
study on Sirius, and even a live viewing. The college
has one of the best telescopes in the nation. Bring a
blanket.
Your friend, Adam."

Nigel sighed as he collapsed into his favorite thinking chair. Friday was three days away. 'No.' He told himself, I'm not going, don't need to get involved with this crazy fuck. He probably won't even be there.

Nigel's hand twitched as he called Jack Crawford and told him he wouldn't make it to the club Friday.

Chapter Text

Adam didn't show up at work Wednesday morning.
No one called, no one stopped by, no one cared.

Adam woke up with his face in his pillow, he normally slept on his back, but his back hurt too much. He tried to look at it in the mirror last night but couldn't see much, but he could tell there were long black and purple marks from being slammed against the lamp post.
The back of his head also hurt, the worst it ever had. He drug himself out of bed and found a bottle of alieve. He was still wearing his clothes from yesterday, he immediately collapsed on his bed when he made it home. His eyes sore from all of his tears, and his body aching with terrible ferocity.

The young man sighed as he sat down at his table. He couldn't help the few stray tears that tried to crawl out of his already raw eyes. It was hard to remember everything at first, but it slowly came to him.

Why didn't Nigel help him? 'I thought we were friends.' He wondered, looking down at his intertwined hands. Adam looked at the clock, he was upset he didn't go to work, what was he supposed to do all day? He needed to keep to the mental schedule he had created for himself, but he couldn't bring himself to want to care. He was really hurt. His fragile mind couldn't comprehend why Nigel didn't care. He just knew the older man didn't. No one ever did. No one ever wanted to be friends with him. 'No one cares about me' He thought, swallowing hard. Fine. 'Some people just don't deserve care' He thought again. 'I guess I'm just one of those people.'

!~!*!~!

Nigel didn't need his men for his last hit. He wanted this one all to himself.

"Abel!" Nigel called out from across the street, on a side of town he rarely went by.

The former surgeon turned around to see a man he immediately recognized. His once very good friend. But why one earth did Nigel want to get in touch now?

"Nigel!" Abel responded in greeting, walking toward the man in a striped shirt.

"Been a while." Nigel said as they walked toward a small cafe on the corner.

"Indeed it has, what have you been up to?" Abel asked, smiling as they stepped in.

"Oh nothing much, just taking care of old business." Nigel responded, his tone too dark for just chatting with an old friend.

!~!*!~!

Adam had gone to the park to try and clear his head of Nigel, and the pain he was experiencing. He didn't want to go to the hospital. They'd laugh at him because Nigel wasn't really his friend.

The young man watched all the people go by, some just taking a walk, some walking their dogs. Adam saw a particular dog he thought was interesting. All thoughts of Nigel left him as he approached the young woman holding a leash to a very large, very puffy looking dog. "Excuse me what kind of dog is that?" Adam asked, his voice curious and full of wonder. The lady did not know he had approached, so she couldn't help but jump, when she looked at his face, she did jump. "Are you alright?!" She asked rushed, still observing Adam's bruised face. The young man didn't check the mirror before he left. He didn't see his black eye, or how the cut above his right eye had opened back up, leaving a dark red drift through his eyebrow. His bottom lip was swollen also, he was wrecked.

Adam only knitted his eyebrows together in confusion, but then shook his head, dismissing her question. "What kind of dog is that?" He asked again, oblivious to her shock. She stood with her mouth open for a moment before shaking her head and responding, "She's a Chow Chow." the woman quickly walked off after satisfying Adam's curiosity. Adam wanted to pet it but the woman had already began walking off.

Adam's mind began to race as he walked to the library to find all the books he could on Chow dogs.

!~!*!~!

Thursday evening Nigel found himself walking around the city. He didn't feel like going to the club today, he wanted some alone time. He had gotten rid of Abel's body early that morning, weighing it down with stones and tossing the lifeless mass into a different lake from the last one. He had a flight booked for California in one month from today. He needed a change in scenery.

He began thinking about tomorrow night as he strolled past the shops and little restaurants. He didn't want to think he was going just because he felt bad for the guy, but he also didn't want to think he was going out of the 'goodness' of his heart. He didn't know why he was going. He just hoped the little prick would be there, or he would have just wasted his Friday night.

Nigel froze as something caught his eye on the other side of the street. A man walking briskly with a large box in his hands. 'Isn't that the guy?' Adam's face was distraught, that much Nigel could tell.

The older man looked both ways before jogging to the other side, then thinking, 'Wait no, go back, he doesn't matter.' but despite his best efforts he found himself approaching the man.

"Adam!" Nigel called, if Adam had heard him he didn't act like it. Nigel placed a hand on the smaller man's shoulder. The young man quickly turned around, his eyes blank and red and puffy. Adam's eyebrows came down together, confused. Nigel searched his face, trying to pry some eye contact from the man, but the younger just kept his eyes on the ground. "Adam, wh- what's wrong?" Nigel tried to catch a glimpse of what was in the box but the flaps were closed.

Adam looked up at the man at that, why did he suddenly seem to care? Adam's bottom lip poked out a little. "I got fired." He said, his tone hurt and defeated. Nigel didn't understand why that upset him so much, but he didn't say anything. The older man stood there for a moment, trying to think of something to say, while battling with himself on why he was even caring. "Are you excited about tomorrow?" The tanned man asked instead,

Through Adam's hurt expression surprise shown. "I-I t-thought you didn't c-care." Adam began, his nerves eating away at his speech.
Nigel offered the young man a smile when he finally met his eyes. Adam wanted to smile, but something in his heart still hurt, but he didn't know why. He was still upset about being fired, too. Why didn't they want him anymore? He worked really hard, he thought his boss would like the toy he was working on, he felt like he was always in the way. Nobody really cared. If Nigel cared then why'd he let them beat him up? Adam was about to ask, until familiar cruel voices began to bark at him.

"Damn, that bitch still not leaving you alone, Nigel?" Jack asked, coming threateningly close the the young man. Nigel didn't know what to say, he couldn't tell them he had initiated the conversation, they'd think he cares. Brian came right up to Adam, whispering, but loud enough for anyone to hear. "He doesn't want you kid, why don't you come home with me, I'll show you a good time." Adam smelt a disturbing mix of alcohol and something else breath on his face and Brian spoke. The young man didn't want to be there anymore. He just wanted to be alone so he could read about that dog. He didn't feel like caring about how much Nigel was confusing him, or how much his whole body still hurt.

Adam tried to walk away, but Brian pulled him back, knocking the box out of his hands. The other men just watched, amused. Nigel watched too, but his face seemed to be in turmoil of what to do, "Why so eager to go, huh? Afraid I'll fuck that innocence out of you?" Adam didn't even try to look to Nigel for help this time, he only sniffled and began to run away, afraid of another beating. He heard grumbles and laughs from the men, then, "Come on back when you're ready for me to give you a better reason to be limping!" Brian yelled. Adam had completely forgotten about the fact he was still limping, it didn't really hurt anymore, he couldn't really feel it, honestly.
He thought he should be worried about that, but he was too busy trying to get home.

The tears stung his eyes when he got in his apartment, they only started falling more when he realized he left the books about dogs in the box that was knocked from him earlier.

Why couldn't he ever be happy. He wasn't asking for much.

!~!*!~!

"Why the fuck are you here?" Nigel found himself yelling at the group of men after Adam had gone. They all looked shocked. "What the fuck are you talking about? We were looking for you to tell you someone wants to hire you." Nigel shook his head, pissed that they had interrupted. He really tried to make an attempt to fix it, but these fucks ruined everything. He didn't answer them, he only picked up the box and hailed a cab, leaving the men to stand confused in the little plaza.

*

Nigel opened a beer as he set down in his chair, carefully opening the box.

He remembered Adam said he got fired, he must have worked at a toy company or something. Layouts for a new robotic doll were in there, along with smaller boxes of parts and what looked like a completed bot, with notes taped on about what to fix. Nigel kept going through the box, and at the bottom he found several books about dogs, already tabbed on some pages, one book specifically about a certain dog, "Chow Chow" Adam didn't look like the type to own a pet, looked to clean for it. 'Maybe the kid gets lonely.' Nigel thought, then found one last book. "Living With Aspergers" Read the title, Nigel's face was curious as he opened the book.

On the inside cover was a note written in ink, "Adam, I won't be here forever, you need to try to branch out son. Love, dad"
At the bottom left hand corner a date was neatly printed in ink also. Maybe a birthday? But it was different writing from the apparent dad's. So Adam must have wrote it. He wondered what it means. Maybe a death date.

Nigel flipped through the book, then got on his computer and looked up Aspergers.

"Oh fuck." Nigel sighed after reading about it. No wonder the guy acted so fucked up. He couldn't help it. And Nigel had let him take beatings for his strange behavior.

!~!*!~!

Adam didn't know what to do Friday. If he didn't have work, and he didn't have what he had been working on, he had nothing. So he cleaned. All day. His back protested every time he bent over, and he nursed a steady headache all day, but he still refused to go to a doctor. He was far too embarrassed.

The day went by slow for him, after he finished cleaning and eating, he studied the stars. He wanted to go back to the library, but he was scared of running into the cruel group of men.

8 O'clock rolled around, and Adam shakily packed his favorite blanket into his bag, tears falling lightly. He was so crushed, so hurt.

*

Nigel spent the day avoiding people as much as possible, not wanting to get distracted. He put the box into his car after packing all the items back into it. He didn't plan on staying long, just enough to apologize to the boy, to say he didn't realize.

Even in Nigel's sputtering heart, there was a soft spot, somewhere deep in there. Adam had managed to stir it.

*

There was hardly anyone there. The few that were, laid on the floor with blankets and pillows, staring up at the open roof as a computer simulated voice droned on about each star, but specifically about Sirius.

Nigel cursed in his head and almost walked out until he saw a man sitting on a blue blanket with red and yellow rocket ships. He shook his head as he approached the young man, not wanting to spook him. The boy was in a world of his own. He didn't even realize Nigel was there.

"Adam?" He asked, then touched his shoulder lightly when he saw the boy wasn't paying attention.

The poor guy jumped when he saw Nigel there. He tried to scramble away, to get up and leave. But Nigel placed a firm hand on his shoulder to get him to sit back down. The older man followed him and sat beside him.

"Adam." Nigel said, trying to get the young man to look at him. Adam finally looked to him, the man who hurt him and made him feel so bad. Nigel tilted his head a little, taking in the man's battered face. He wondered why Adam wasn't laying down, his neck must hurt from craning up to see the sky. "I'm sorry, Adam. I-" Nigel coughed, uncomfortable apologizing. "I looked through your box and found a book-" "Can I have them back please? I really wanted to read about those dogs." Adam's voice, usually fast and peaking, now sounding broken, just as he looked. Nigel nodded, "Um, yes, of course, but I meant a different one. Um, "Living With Aspergers?" I- I didn't realize that you had that."

Adam looked uncomfortable, and his eyes watered. Now Nigel knew he was a freak. Adam drew his knees to his chest and let his head rest on them so Nigel couldn't see his face. "I know I'm a freak, just please leave me alone. I'm sorry for bothering you."

It was Nigel's turn to feel a pang of heartbreak. This sweet, innocent man was so hurt. 'Stop.' Nigel tried to tell himself, but he couldn't help it. Adam was tearing down the walls he had firmly built to look brutal and uncaring.

Adam's small frame trembled and shook lightly. A few broken sobs rushed out before the lights went down and the opened roof opened farther, and the automated voice began speaking more on Sirius. Adam suddenly looked up, his face vacant and the his eyes filled with wonder as he looked at the sky. Nigel licked his lips and glanced up, it was...beautiful.

He never really looked at the sky before, but tonight, it was wonderful. He looked back to Adam, the glow of the stars illuminating his shimmering eyes.

When the automated voice stopped it's small presentation, but the lights stayed off for observing, Nigel asked Adam why he wasn't laying down, that surely it would be easier to see.

"My back." Adam replied detached. Nigel was confused but then remembered the way they slammed Adam against the lamp post. Nigel moved behind him and lifted his shirt.

"Hey what ar-" Adam tried to get away, but Nigel shushed him. "Shh, it's okay, I'm not trying to hurt you, I just want to see how bad it is."
Adam should have been worried, but the innocence of his mind didn't let him. Nigel could do something bad, but Adam found himself trusting the man, despite all the reasons not to.

It was hard to see in the dark, but the stars helped some. Adam's back sported long thick stripes of bruises. What looked like a rib bone stuck out just ever so slightly. Nigel knew it was a broken rib, from experience. How had the boy not gone to a hospital yet. "Why didn't you see a doctor?" Nigel asked, concern in his voice, something he himself wasn't used to hearing.

Adam stayed quiet, but finally said, "I was embarrassed." Nigel looked around at the man's face, then began rubbing small circles around the bruises, using enough tenderness so it wouldn't hurt. He heard Adam take in a sharp breath and tense, but then relax into his touch. He wasn't necessarily trying to coax Adam into anything, he was honestly trying to help. 'What the fuck are you doing?' Nigel's conscience barked at him. His hands stopped, but only briefly, he felt Adam had leaned back more into him, the young man's head practically resting on his shoulder. Nigel decided to not listen to his thoughts on how he wasn't keeping up a good image like this.

No one could see them. And he decided then and there that Adam didn't deserve what he had been put through the past week.

Nigel slowly wrapped his arms around Adam, the young man hissed when Nigel's arms put pressure on the broken rib, but Nigel shushed him again, and with a little more pressure, Adam felt better. It didn't hurt so bad like that.

*

Two hours later Nigel woke up, blinking into Adam's shoulder. The older man looked around and realized the lights had come on. Ushers were walking around asking people to leave. Adam stayed rested on his shoulder, he could tell the young man was awake, still looking at the sky.

"Um, hey guys, gonna have to ask you to leave, show's over." A young man, probably in his late teens asked.

Nigel almost began to tell him to fuck off, he enjoyed the feeling of Adam in his arms. But Adam spoke before him.

"You messed up in a lot of places." The young man began. Adam let out a shuddering sigh when he pulled away from Nigel, the steady pressure gone from his rib hurt. He stood up quickly and began pointing to the sky, telling the poor usher about certain stars, and how some of the information was not as accurate as it should be.

Nigel stood up, and took the liberty of rolling up the blanket and stuffing it into Adam's bag. He remembered reading that people with Aspergers tend to focus on one specific subject, and can go one for hours about it. As much as it amused Nigel to see Adam's eyes so bright, talking about the one thing he loved most, he decided he wanted to spend a little more time with Adam.

"Adam," Nigel spoke up, the young man ignored it. "Adam." Nigel said, more commanding, his hand resting on the young man's shoulder. The boy turned around to look up at Nigel, then back to the usher, standing with an annoyed expression. "Oh," Adam said, "I-I'm s-sorry." he apologized.

The usher rolled his eyes and walked away. Adam turned to Nigel and was about to start talking again when Nigel quickly changed the subject.

"Are you hungry Adam?"

Chapter Text

"Why are you being so nice all of the sudden?" Adam asked, his face curious, his voice high pitched.
Nigel considered the man on the other side of the table. "I felt bad." Nigel replied simply. Adam's face still displayed curiosity. "You didn't seem to feel bad when you were being so mean."

Nigel stopped eating to look at Adam again. 'Mean?' What a childish way to describe him...oh yeah. Nigel gave a cough, "Look, I'm really sorry about that. I- Adam," Nigel let out a long sigh, not sure why he even was still bothering, he didn't even mean to have stayed so long at the star viewing. "I, I'm not a very good person. I do bad things to people, and I don't feel bad about them, usually. But you've changed that for me. Well," Nigel gave a little laugh then licked his lips. Why was he feeling so nervous? He couldn't help it when those pale blue orbs were staring into his.

"Well, for you anyway. I'm sorry I let that happen. You don't deserve that. And what you said about us being friends...well, maybe we can. But just because we might act...friendly," Nigel thought we wanted to throw up, he felt like he was talking like a baby....but he kept going, he meant it, he really did feel bad.

"...because we might act...friendly, doesn't mean we are friends. Friends...they need to get to know each other. They...they do stuff together, that they both like."

Adam got defensive. "Well that's why I made that display for you," suddenly the young man's face dropped, remembering how Nigel probably didn't care about it, despite how much he hoped he would. Adam shook his head slightly to himself, "and that's why I invited you tonight." his voice much more quiet this time.

Nigel stared at the boy while he ate. "I liked it, Adam." Nigel said, his voice quiet, too. The young man looked up, "You liked what?" he questioned suspiciously. Nigel gave a small smile. "The gift you gave me, as well as tonight."

Despite wanting to hate Nigel for what he put him through. Adam found himself smiling.

They both finished the rest of their meal in silence. When they were ready to go, Nigel paid. "Adam," He began as they walked out of the cafe, "why don't I take you back to my place to bandage you up some. Hm?" Nigel's voice was friendly, sincere, f o r e i g n.

Adam seemed a little shy, but Nigel really sounded honest. "Okay." He agreed, getting into the car with the older man.

!~!*!~!

"Take off your shirt." Nigel casually told Adam as he pushed the younger man into his bathroom. "W-what?" The younger man asked, his tone laced with fright. Nigel smiled, made sure Adam saw it, "You've got a broke rib, I need to wrap you up." Adam nodded warily.

Adam's body was a gorgeous pale, as if his skin was the moonlight.

Nigel let his mind wander while he got a medical kit. Adam's hair dark as the night sky, his eyes brighter than the stars, his body a canvas for the moonlight to drip. That body would feel so g-'No.' Nigel firmly told himself. Nigel may have been ruthless, but he couldn't bring himself to even try to take advantage of the poor boy. Sure he'd like to...but he really wanted to do it right. 'Shut up.' Nigel told himself, he couldn't think about how to get closer to Adam now. He didn't even know if Adam would like him.

"Alright, arms up please dear." Nigel couldn't help but smile as he rolled out the gauze after seeing the blush on Adam's face.

Adam winced when the gauze wrapped around him tight, "Sorry, but it's got to be tight to get that rib back in place." Nigel tied of the white bandage, causing a whimper to spill from the young man's lips. "Shh, it's over" Nigel soothed. "Anything else hurting?" The older man asked, burying the voice in his head criticizing him for trying to care for the man.

"M-my back really hurts...I can't sleep on it anymore...and my l-leg hurts...and I've had a headache for two days straight." Adam's voice was cracking and when Nigel turned to look at the man, he realized tears were falling.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Nigel asked worriedly, did he hurt the man?

"I-It's nothing." Adam said, his voice soft. Nigel took the boy's face in his hands, when he finally got eye contact, he spoke, "Hey, what's wrong, dear?" Adam's starry eyes searched the other man's eyes, until he must have found what he needed for courage.

"I, I just felt really bad this week, and now you're being so nice and I don't know how I'm supposed to feel. I was sexually excited when you were behind me, holding me earlier. But I didn't want to say anything because most people would be bothered if I said something like that. You're making me confused on how to feel."

Nigel stared at the man, not sure of what to say.

He started slow, "Your...Aspergers, it makes it hard to express how you feel, right?" Nigel asked, just to be sure. Adam nodded, almost embarrassingly.

Another tear drop fell off of his face and onto the gauze covering his lower chest. Nigel thought about it...Adam was, sexually excited? Just from holding him? Well, it was obvious that he was sensitive. Nigel sighed as he pulled a very distraught looking Adam into his arms, careful not to put to much pressure, but firm enough.

"Adam," Another lengthy sigh, "I'm a dangerous man." he finally settled on. Resting his head on top of Adam's, pressed to his chest.
"Then why are you being so nice to me?" "Adam, I've gotten you beat up, I'm not exactly a saint."

"No, but...but you make me feel better. I like you." Adam's voice was nearly pleading.

Nigel pulled Adam back, looking down at him, 'What the fuck are you doing Nigel?' he asked himself, "Look, why don't we try to be friends for a while, hm?" Adam looked up at him hopeful, "Really? Bu-but what about your other f-friends? They don't like me." Adam sniffled a little. Nigel only grinned, "They're not my friends, but you are right. We'll need to keep this a secret, just between us two. Okay?" Adam grinned like a child with a secret. "Only us will know?" The younger man asked excitedly. Nigel nodded with a smile. He didn't want to get this kid hurt more than he already had been.

Adam smiled sheepishly, "O-Okay. Thank you." He whispered the last bit. Nigel only smiled and kissed the top of the younger man's head, like it was something normal for friends to do.

"Now, let's see how we can help that back and leg, take this for your head." Nigel handed Adam a pain killer that didn't look like an alieve. Before Nigel led Adam out of the bathroom, he rubbed something on the back of the younger man's head, it stung at first, but soon Adam couldn't even feel it.

~

"Just lay on your stomach on the bed." Nigel said as he took off his shoes. Adam felt unsure, but did it anyway, deciding to trust Nigel.

In Nigel's mind Adam was like very fragile, he didn't want to try anything with Adam any time soon. He wanted to prove to Adam he could be a good partner, that he c- 'Partner? So now you want to fuck him?' His mind attacked him. Nigel commanded his thoughts away. Willing for the only good of his heart to be spent on Adam.

Adam tried to close his eyes, tried not to think about him laying on Nigel's bed with his shirt off, but he couldn't. He couldn't help the bulge forming in his pants. At least Nigel couldn't see it though.

Adam felt a dip in the bed on either side of his hips, then hands, with something cool on them, running slowly down his back. Adam squirmed as Nigel rubbed on the creme that would help his bruises. Nigel knew Adam was aroused, just by the tenseness in certain parts of his back and sides. As much as he wanted to touch him where he knew the man would turn to goo in his hands, he refrained.

After about ten minutes Adam's breathing slowed, he was relaxing, his back didn't hurt as much. "Feeling better?" Nigel asked, relishing in the feel of Adam's muscles easing under his touch. The young man made a muffled noise Nigel knew to be an agreement.

The older man laughed lightly, "Alright, turn over and let me take a look at your leg." Suddenly Adam tensed again. "Um" He began, until Nigel leaned all the way over him to whisper right at his ear, "I know, it's okay. Just turn over. I won't do anything, I promise."

Adam gulped but rolled over, thankful his erection had gone down a bit, though it was still obvious. Nigel licked his lips but quickly collected himself again. "You'll need to take off your pants so I can see where it hurts." Nigel said with a knowing smile. Adam gulped but pushed down his pants anyway, as he sat with his legs hanging off the bedside.

Nigel couldn't help but smirk at the raised portion of the man's light blue boxers.

But Nigel couldn't think about it too much, or he might be tempted to do something to his...friend.

Nigel got on his knees to look at the leg. There was a large bruise above his knee, a deep black and purple and green. Nigel got the creme he used on Adam's back and put some more on his hands, "This is going to hurt a lot, Adam." the older man told him without taking his eyes from the slender leg.

"AAhhhhhh!" Adam screamed when Nigel put his hands on the bruised area, rubbing quickly so the pain would be over faster.

Nigel finished rubbing in the creme, then got up and quickly wrapped his arms around the shaking man. "Shh, shh, it's okay, it's over, it'll be better soon." Nigel gently rocked Adam back and forth until the younger man calmed down.

"Better?" Nigel asked, looking down at the man in his arms. Adam looked up, his eyes a little red, but no longer crying. He nodded, and whispered a thank you. Nigel only smiled and kissed the top of his head again.

Adam tried to suppress it, but couldn't help the yawn that escaped. Nigel glanced at the clock, it was nearly midnight.

The older man sighed, almost contentedly, "Why don't you stay here the night, Adam?" Nigel asked softly.

Adam wanted to protest, but when he met those deep maroon eyes, glowing with warmth, he only felt himself nod. He began to get up and reach for his pants, "What are you doing?" The older man asked. Adam looked confused, but then said he was going to the couch. Nigel gave a soft laugh.

"You can sleep here with me, it'll be okay. I promise I won't do anything." Adam believed him, but was a little confused. "Do friends do this?" Nigel only smiled, "If they trust each other, and want to be better friends." Adam smiled wider and walked back to the bed. Nigel threw the younger man's pants on a nearby chair, then removed his own shirt and pants.

Adam couldn't help getting hard seeing Nigel's body. His faced blushed a deep red when Nigel noticed. He only smiled and beckoned for the younger man to get it. Adam turned his back to Nigel as he laid down, trying his best to get rid of it.

It didn't help that Nigel slipped up behind him and wrapped an arm around him.

"Goodnight Adam." He said with a smirk in his voice.

"G-goodnight Nigel." The younger man replied shaky, but comfortable.

!~!*!~!

Brian Zeller watched from the inside of his truck the next morning when Adam walked out of Nigel's apartment building. He was wearing his own clothes, and was smiling. Obviously he left on his own will, not Nigel kicking him out.

'What the fuck is Nigel doing with him?' He thought, but his thoughts turned much darker as he started his truck to follow the young man.

Chapter Text

"Nigel, Nigel," Adam squirmed under the muscled arm draped over him. "Nigel, wake up please." Adam asked, only earning grunts from the older man.
Adam eventually got turned to face Nigel, lightly poking his shoulder until he finally opened his eyes.

"Ah fuck, what time is it?" Nigel asked, wondering why Adam woke him up.

"Nine." Adam's flat voice just barely above a whisper, scared that Nigel was upset.

Nigel must have realized Adam's hesitancy, because his face softened, and his tone not as harsh. With a lazy smile, and his arm unknowingly bringing Adam closer, he asked why the man woke him up.

"W-well, I thought I might-" Adam trailed off as he drug his eyes up to Nigel's. Adam wasn't good at reading people, but there was obviously something warm in those dark eyes that even he could see.

Nigel his his surprise at how close he had brought Adam to him, the younger man still seeming to not notice.

"Thought you might what?" Nigel asked, his voice low, gruff, a whisper.

Adam's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.

"I thought I might go look for a job." Adam's voice cracking, trying to ignore how bad he still felt about being fired.

Nigel rubbed Adam's shirtless back, small circles on his spine, oddly comforting coming from the dangerous man. Nigel closed his eyes to think, he very much wanted to kiss this man in his bed, to take this friendship of sorts and turn it into something more. But he didn't want to push Adam, he didn't want the younger man to feel pressured, he didn't want him to misread Nigel's intentions.

Nigel shouldn't have cared, it wasn't like him to, but something about Adam changed that. Seeing someone so completely trusting, even after being let down more than once, was truly heartbreaking. It would be so easy to hurt him, then just apologize, and everything would be normal again. But Nigel couldn't do that. Not to Adam, not the wonderfully beautiful man holding his breath in Nigel's arms.

Adam would have to be the one to initiate it.

Nigel opened his eyes slowly, hoping Adam would do just that, and soon. But he was only faced with a once again squirming Adam, "I should go." the younger man stated again, causing Nigel to reluctantly move his arm to let Adam scamper out of his bed. If Nigel was a man of lesser control he might have pinned Adam back down to the bed, just to run his teeth along the beautiful pale skin, and rip those boxers off in one motion, but luckily Nigel was content with waiting. Unlike others in the world.

Nigel decided he'd at least get up to see the boy out.

Nigel didn't mean to seem so intimidating, at least not to Adam, but the younger man still shook a bit when Nigel began walking toward him. He would need to teach Adam not to fear him. His hands shook as he tried buttoning up the rest of his shirt, Nigel tilted his head, but decided to help the poor man out. "Here, let me." Nigel said, finishing the top half of buttons for Adam.

Nigel laid his hand on Adam's shoulder, "You don't have to be scared, I won't let anyone hurt you, not anymore." Adam finally looked up to Nigel, met his eyes, and saw that same warmth as before. Adam gave a small smile, but he couldn't help it growing wider at Nigel's smile.

Nigel finally broke the eye contact and looked down, letting out something between a huff and a chuckle. "Well good luck with your job hunting, Adam." Adam smiled again, his soft blue eyes extracting the only good out of Nigel. "Ahm, do- would you like to do something again? I know you said we should try out being friends first...and well, f-friends do stuff right?" Adam's tongue tripped over almost every word trying to ask Nigel if he, essentially, wanted to hang out at some point.

Nigel only smiled, "Of course, why don't you tell me where you live and I'll stop by some time, surprise you, and take you somewhere?" Adam's smile was wide and shining as Nigel wrote down his information.

Before Adam opened Nigel's apartment door to leave, the older man couldn't help but spinning the man around and hugging him close. "Although I really would like to spend more time with you, remember, we've got to keep this our little secret, some people who don't like me might try to hurt you, and I don't want that happening." Nigel whispered into Adam's ear, tightening his grip a little bit. When he finally pulled away Adam's face was red, whether from being pressed against Nigel's rough chest or for feeling so important to this man, could not be determined. Adam nodded quickly, smiling as he said goodbye and went to catch a taxi.

Nigel felt a little uneasy, though he couldn't explain why. Adam would have also felt uneasy if he had been paying attention to the truck that had been tailing the cab he was in.

!~!*!~!

When Adam got to his apartment the first thing he did was his chores. His internal schedule was off, he needed to fix it. The next thing he did was eat a bowl of cereal, followed by taking a shower and getting dressed. The whole time his mind was shrouded in thoughts of Nigel, no matter how hard he tried to push them away so he could concentrate.

Adam's day was too occupied with him filling out applications to even notice a sleek grey truck following him around.

*

"Nigel! Fucking hell where were you last night?" Jack boomed above the group when Nigel walked into the cafe they all ate at. "None of your fucking business." Nigel snapped, catching the attention of a few bystanders, but he ignored the dirty looks.

Jack mumbled something like a whatever as Nigel ordered a sandwich. "Brian, nice of you to finally show up, after you ditched us so early last night." Jimmy halfheartedly greeted his friend. "Yeah, sorry, wasn't feeling good." His answer was dry and he looked like he slept in a car or something. "Damn you look like hell." Jack commented, Brian only shrugged it off. He shot Nigel a look, something between 'I know what you're up to' and 'What exactly are you up to?' but he didn't dare ask, he knew he'd just have to ask the right questions to avoid the big one.

*

"Have you seen that little twink around here any?" Brian asked Nigel as they all left the little cafe, agreeing to meet at the club later that night. Now it was just Brian and Nigel.

"Who?" Nigel asked, even though he never really like the man, there was no reason to completely cut him off.

"Ah fuck, what's his name..." Brian pretended like he was thinking, but he already knew it. "Uh, was it Adam, I think? Yeah, that one. You seen him around any?" Nigel suddenly stiffened. "Why?" He asked a little too quickly. Brian smiled only the slightest. "Thinking about finding that piece of ass and having him one night." Brian's voice spat out quietly and dark. Nigel felt his blood boil.

"I think you should stay away from him." The older man replied through clenched teeth. Brian only smirked and told him goodbye. Nigel watched as he pulled out of the parking lot in his grey truck.

!~!*!~!

Adam thought today went okay, as he was walking home. He asked at least ten places if there were any job openings, he even remembered to smile and not talk so much. Whenever he got nervous he just thought about Nigel, and how good he felt with him. His stomach didn't hurt as much then.

Nigel would always protect him, he thought. He could never be hurt again. Somehow Nigel squirmed his way even into Adam's brain, making him focus on nothing but Nigel when he was nervous. Nothing could take that away from him.

But like all things, it is neither good nor bad until an opposite influence infiltrates.

"Hey kid, you need a ride?"

Adam looked to his right as he was walking, greeted with the site of someone vaguely familiar in a grey truck.

Adam kept walking without saying anything, people usually left him alone if he didn't respond.

The truck pulled to park at the side of the curb, and a tall lanky man stepped out, his hair was black and slicked back in attempts to hide the small curls. "Adam!" Then Adam turned around, wondering how the man knew his name, until it hit him. That was the man that hurt him before, one of the men who hit him. Adam started turning around to walk faster until Brian stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey kid, relax. I just wanted to apologize for what happened earlier. That was a really shit thing for me to do." Adam faced him with his brows furrowed, trying to figure out if he was being sincere like Nigel. "Come on, you can trust me. I'm Nigel's friend, remember?" But Nigel said they weren't his friends before. "Look, I know you and Nigel are friends now..." Adam looked up at the man with a sharp jerk, "I thought he said to keep it a secret!" Brian's face didn't show anything as he processed the information.

So that fuck was just going to keep Adam all to himself? A secret? What the fuck?

Brian gave a small laugh, "Yeah, well, he told me, he said he thought we'd be good friends, too." Adam looked confused. "Does Nigel not want to be friends with me anymore?"

Brian saw the opportunity and took it.

He gave an exaggerated sigh, acting like it hurt to say what he was about to. "Adam, Nigel isn't the kind of guy to get close to. He wanted me to become friends with you, he thinks we'd have a better time together. Besides, you wouldn't want to be friends with Nigel. He's a killer."

Adam shot him a hurt look. A killer? His friend was a killer? His frie- his friend? Was Nigel really already bored with him? What did he do to make Nigel upset?

"Come on, why don't I take you home, maybe we can plan to do something, get your mind off all of this Nigel business, yes?" Brian didn't wait for an answer, he just guided a seemingly paralyzed Adam into the passenger side of his truck.

!~!*!~!

Later that night, Nigel couldn't help still feel uneasy. Why was that fucker asking about Adam? He couldn't take the curiosity he was feeling. But he couldn't just show up to Adam's, well he could, but for sake of the last straw of pride he had in him he didn't want to make a care visit. But that feeling of pride was trumped when he got a call from Jack asking where Brian was, that the man was supposed to be at the strip to pay some money he owed from a bet. Nigel told him he didn't know where the man was, then he hung up. And ran to his car.

Wait.

'I'm just over reacting, fucking idiot.' Nigel's thoughts tried to tell him, but he pushed them away easily, Adam was more important than needing to be a bad ass all the time.
Besides, the box he spotted in the back of his car, Adam's, from yesterday, only gave him more reason to visit, even if it turned out to just be a social call.

*

Nigel ran up to Adam's apartment as soon as he saw the grey truck of the man he grew to hate more and more by each step.

"No, please stop!" He heard, muffled, but clearly a scream from Adam. "Just shut your fucking whore mouth or I'll give you something better to do with it!" Brian's voice clearly rang.

Nigel heard Adam cry out his name followed by a sharp scream. Adam didn't know Nigel was outside of his door, he just knew Nigel made him feel better when he was nervous, maybe it would help when he was scared. But it didn't.

"Nigel's not coming you stupid fuck, you really think he cares about you? He's just using you as a fuck toy, but Nigel needs to learn to share his toys."

"B-but he cares about me please just leave me alone!" Adam whimpered, Nigel thought about his options.

That's when a startled Brian turned dead white at a busted down door, and a very deathly looking Nigel standing beside the splintered wood.

"Nigel!" Adam shrieked, trying to get out of Brian's arms.

Adam was pinned naked against the wall, just beside a window. Brian had his shirt and pants off, obviously hard. Adam, anything but.

Adam's eyes were black and purple, his whole face showered with bruises, his body holding even more, with several scratches, long and deep.

Nigel appeared in front of Brian quicker than should have been humanly possible.

One great slam and Brian was on the floor on the other side of the room. No words, no yelling. Only thumps from where Nigel slung Brian's body across the room. Adam shrunk into a corner, crying as Nigel beat the man who hurt him to a bloody pulp.

Adam heard a faint crack after what felt like hours of Nigel pounding into Brian with his fists. Nigel was thankful the windows in Adam's apartment didn't face any streets, only a dirty back alley. He opened the windows and lunged Brian's limp body out of it, falling to the ground with an even louder crack.

Suddenly Adam was covered in strong arms, he tried to get away at first, but realized it was Nigel. "Shh, shh, it's okay now, he's gone, it's okay." Nigel tried to sooth the shaking frame in his arms. "He-he s-said yo-you didn't c-care ab-bout m-m-me." Adam finally stuttered out. The anxiety only making his speech worse.

"No Adam, I care so much about you, more than you could know." Nigel said as he rocked Adam in his arms. Assuring the man that he did care, that he definitely was his friend, that he'd never let anyone touch Adam ever again. "You're mine, love." Nigel whispered into Adam's ear, making the man calm slightly, but still in obvious shock.

Nigel felt blood on Adam's thighs, as it dripped in streams from the back between his legs.

Nigel quickly scooped Adam into his arms, startling the boy more, trying to calm him down as he wrapped a large blanket around him, and carried him the back way to his car.

"I'm going to take care of you darling, don't worry. I'll make it all better."

On the verge of consciousness, Adam knew he was okay now, he knew he was safe. Wherever Nigel would take him, he would be safe. As he blacked out, he was only given confirmation of Nigel's care when the older man's large hand held his under the blanket, helping him fall into a deep sleep.

*

Nigel would need to wake Adam up soon, to make sure he was not still hurt. It was fairly obvious what had happened. He was at first thrown off by the knife on the ground when he first went into Adam's apartment, he thanked whoever may have been listening that Brian only used the handle, but he dismissed those thoughts as he rubbed small circles into Adam's shoulder, bringing him back into awakeness, not before administering a small dose of morphine, he couldn't bare to see Adam in anymore pain.

"Come on dear, let me try to bandage your wounds." His voice soft as he led a disoriented Adam out of his large bed.

Chapter Text

Getting Adam into the shower was surprisingly easy, once again the innocent trust the young man put so diligently in Nigel astounded him, but he was thankful for it. Nigel stepped into the shower with the shaking boy, holding him to his chest for quite some time, staying quiet, until Adam finally asked what happened, wanting to know why Nigel had to clean him in certain places so carefully. It was hard for Nigel to re-explain to Adam what had happened. The man cried and cried in Nigel's arms. It hurt to watch Adam's normally bright curious eyes take on a dull form. It hurt to know he had let Adam down so greatly.

It was even harder to clean his cuts and bandage his broken boy...wait, his? Nigel thought long and hard about it, while Adam was curled in his lap, his head tucked under Nigel's chin. Nigel gave Adam one of his shirts to wear, since he carried the young man into his house with nothing more than a sheet on.

Adam's breath was soft and warm against his collar bone. Slow and rhythmic. He knew Adam would be tired, would need to sleep more, if only for his body to physically recover. He also knew Adam would have days where he wouldn't want to see anyone, but Adam was ever different. He would want Nigel to be there. Nigel was the only one he ever put so much trust into.

Nigel reflected on there relationship of sorts, as his hand absently stroked Adam's back.

The first time they met, Nigel debated on Adam being a hit. How rude to not pay attention where he was walking and bump into him. But something was different. The second time they met, Nigel took care of the beaten man. The times after that were scattered and brutal. They had slept together, but did not do anything that could even be interpreted as sexual, other than Adam's reactions. But even still, Nigel didn't take advantage. They showered together, granted, it was to clean Adam, but still. Nigel didn't even think about taking advantage in Adam's weakened state. Nigel realized he cared, no matter how foreign of a word that was to him. He hadn't known the boy barely a month, but he knew he was feeling something profound. Something far more than desire or erratic lust. Did he...love Adam? The word rolled in his head uncomfortably, but accompanied by the thought of Adam, it seemed to make sense.

"Thank you, Nigel." A small voice, barely above a whisper found its way to Nigel's ear. The older man looked down, to see a bright eyed Adam staring back up. His head resting on Nigel's shoulder. Nigel couldn't help but smile, because right then, he knew, yes, he did indeed love Adam. But it would take time to show Adam, he knew.

"Anything to protect you, dear." Nigel nearly purred into Adam's hair.

!~!*!~!

The next week involved Nigel making Adam stay in bed while the older man attended to his cuts and kept the young man sane when he relived those moments in his nightmares. Nigel had only left twice, once to dispose of Brian's body, and once to get groceries. Both times when he returned he found Adam curled in his favorite chair, holding on as if Nigel were there himself.

Nigel looked at a spread of little bruises on his chest, from Adam's small fists pounding against him during nightmares. He smiled. They didn't hurt, no, they showed him Adam trusted him, looked to him as his safety, his protector.

Their relationship...a word that felt weird to both of them, involved Nigel ignoring his group of criminals in order to devote his time to Adam. He knew he would miss it all, but he wasn't quitting his profession, he was just taking time off, for the one person he grew to care about. Adam slowly became more comfortable going out, but he never left Nigel's side, and the only places they went were small cafes and the library. Adam would spend hours in the night, tucked under Nigel's arm, telling him all about the stars and planets, telling him about plants and dogs, that one in particular breed often stated, he would explain to Nigel about physics and science, and Nigel would throw in a "hmm" or "oh" every now and then, though he feel asleep after only an hour.

Adam knew he was asleep most of the time, but he still talked. His voice became something of a lullaby for Nigel.

Though everyday they seemed to grow closer, Nigel showing more of the small heart he had, and Adam trying to keep himself from talking too much for Nigel, they still had not done anything. But they were making progress, no matter how slow.

*

It was probably the seventh documentary Adam dragged Nigel into watching with him, which really didn't take much, Adam just had to say please and Nigel was practically his. What could the man say? He just had a soft spot for Adam.

Nigel wanted to get out soon, he wasn't tired of Adam, but he was getting restless without...being bad. But Adam always surprised him, and tonight was a night that Nigel wanted to remember for a long time.

The days were getting colder, so it made sense that they shared a blanket, practically snuggled together on Nigel's couch. It had become normal for them to huddle together, especially when sleeping. Adam would always wake up with his face pressed into Nigel's chest, but when Adam slowly moved his hand to Nigel's, it felt different. It felt like Adam wanted to show him that maybe he still wanted to be more than friendly. Nigel intertwined his fingers obligingly with Adam's under the blanket, neither looking at one another, neither saying a word.

Adam never fell asleep during these, but he did tonight. Nigel didn't want to wake him up, but they both needed to get into bed. "Adam, Adam, sweetheart, wake up." Nigel softly nudged Adam to open his eyes. The younger man got up, keeping their hands intertwined, following Nigel to the familiar bedroom.

"Wait." Nigel turned around at the whisper of Adam's words, only to be met with a shy, tentative kiss on his lips. Nigel's eyes widened, but then closed at the feel of Adam's soft lips pressed warmly against his. It was dry, safe, nothing extreme, but it meant the world to Nigel. Adam kissed him, Adam initiated. He only hoped the boy would want to keep going at some point.

But that satisfied the older man beyond words for tonight.

"Thank you." Nigel found himself whispering, surprising himself. Adam only smiled as they laid down and he snuggled close to the man, stroking his fuzzy chest, trying to slow the beating in his heart.

Chapter Text

Nigel didn't know what time it was, but the sun wasn't up, and judging by how quiet the streets were outside, he guessed the time to be around 1 or 2 in the morning. He had left the curtains open last night, the windows were rather large for the apartment, but they let in enough moonlight to crawl over his own body and engulf the young man sprawled out beside him. Adam must have squirmed out of his grasp in his sleep.

Nigel stared at Adam's lips as he thought about earlier. Weeks of taking care of him, tending to his physical and emotional turmoil, doing all he could to make Adam forget about Brian. He hadn't so much as swatted a fly during these last couple weeks, he was getting restless, and he had jobs to take care of him, people were still hiring him despite his absence from his little gang. He already planned to get out and talk to his men next week, he decided that they needed to know about Adam, he decided he could use them to keep Adam safe, and if they didn't agree, they were better off dead.

But in this moment, staring at Adam's delicate face and smooth bare chest, he couldn't stop replaying when Adam finally kissed him. Nigel was a man used to taking what he wanted when he wanted, but he honestly wanted to take time with Adam, the young man meant so much more to him than being a potential means of getting off.
Adam's lips were so soft, softer than they looked. His mouth felt like warm air against his own lips, he couldn't help the giddy feeling in his stomach when it had happened. He felt like a stupid little school boy, but he didn't care. Every villain needs a hero. No matter how skittish his hero was.

In his thoughts he didn't even notice those lips of Adam's moving. He finally realized Adam had been saying his name after about the fifth time the young man repeated it.

"Nigel?"
He coughed, "Sorry, Adam." The younger man smiled, "Why are you awake?"
Nigel countered, "Why are you awake?" his voice mocking.

Adam looked a little hurt. "What's wrong dear?" Nigel immediately asked, worried he may have offended Adam.
"Why'd you say it like that?"

Sometimes Nigel briefly forgot that Adam had trouble processing humor. The older man just smiled wide and wrapped his arms around Adam, bring him close to him with small noises of innocent protest from Adam.

"I was joking." Nigel whispered. Adam gave a small grunt, much to Nigel's amusement, but settled into Nigel's embrace.

"Nigel?"
"Yes, Adam?"
A space of silence.
"Did you really like it?" Nigel knew full and well what Adam was asking about, but he wanted to hear him talk.
"Like what?"
"When I kissed you." Adam said bluntly, as if Nigel was being incredulous about it.
A small chuckle escaped Nigel's mouth before he answered, making hesitation swarm in Nigel's little belly.

"Yes, very much so, I liked it a lot."

Adam's face blushed as he looked up at Nigel, the older man's face shadowed.

"W-would you w-want t-to do it ag-gain?" Adam's nervousness was absolutely gorgeous.
Adam grew to find comfort in the shark smile Nigel was giving him at the moment.

"Yes." Nigel whispered in his gruff voice, closer to Adam, but not daring to do anything yet.

Adam bit his lip while he debated with himself. But he couldn't help it for much longer, he wasn't good at holding himself back.

Suddenly Nigel felt Adam pressing his lips against his, it was quick and rushed, so Nigel wrapped his arm tighter around Adam's back, rubbing his soft skin as he held him close, keeping his lips to Adam's when the younger man tried to pull away. He hoped this was the right risk to take.

And it was.

Adam slowly stopped trying to pull back, though he realized Nigel wasn't doing anything, he was waiting for Adam to first.

The young man didn't know what to do after that, he had been in one or two relationships but the girls usually initiated anything, and it had been quite a while since he had wanted to do something like this. He pulled back from Nigel, his lips suddenly cold from the lack of Nigel's.

"I...um, I-I I'm not sure h-how to cont-tinue this..." The young man blushed a deep red, obvious even in the moonlight.

"Do you want to continue it?" Nigel breathed out, getting a shy nod from Adam. "Do you want me to teach you?" Adam's big blue eyes met Nigel's, he nodded shakily. His anxieties catching up to the current situation.

"Shh, shh, relax love." Nigel soothed, rubbing calming circles into Adam's back. His breathing slowed back down, but he could not hide his anxiousness to see what Nigel would do.

"Ready?" The older man asked, giving Adam another chance to back out. Adam only nodded tentatively.

Nigel slid his hand to Adam's face, bringing the young man close once again as he kissed his lips. After a few seconds, letting Adam get used to the sensation, he slowly stuck his tongue out, not asking for entrance, only licking Adam's lips, tasting that delicious warmth coming off of them. He earned a small gasp from Adam, but didn't take the opening, not yet.

Adam tried to kiss Nigel's lips, but only succeeded in kissing the tongue that slowly dragged along his bottom lip, but he didn't mind. Adam pulled back only minutely, their faces still touching, but their mouths no longer connected.

Nigel didn't say anything, and he didn't ask any questions, he let Adam decide what to do.

The young man chewed on his lip a moment, before seeming to reach a conclusion. He looked at Nigel's body, then slowly traced his hand up his arm and to Nigel's face. Slower than Nigel had ever experienced (but still all so good), Adam kissed him again, opening his mouth, softly licking Nigel's own lips. Adam pressed his tongue lightly against the closed seam, Nigel opened up for him.

Nigel had never been the one to be kissed, sure he had been, but he normally was the initiator. But he didn't mind Adam having control, for now.

Nigel could tell Adam must have not ever kissed much, which made a part of him very happy, what else hadn't Adam done?

The small hand cupping his face moved around to the back of his neck, unconsciously pulling lightly on the dirty blond hair. Nigel ran his hands up Adam's arms, then down to the small of his back, not going any lower, only rubbing small circles as their tongues intertwined and chased each other. Adam pulled back after a moment, taking deep breaths, looking gorgeous with his hair sticking out and his face holding a blush.

"Was that good?" Nigel asked in a deep whisper, heavy with want, but careful.

Adam bit his lip and nodded, seemingly thinking, then surprising Nigel by kissing him again, this time it was deeper, Adam seemed to be more comfortable, more at ease, letting his tongue run the roof of Nigel's mouth. Nigel let out a satisfied grunt as Adam became more comfortable with their kissing.

Soon Adam couldn't bring himself to stop, except for small gasps of air when they could get them. He knew he was hard, and Nigel knew it, too. But Adam wasn't the only one aroused by their sudden burst of passion, he felt Nigel's own excitement pressing against his leg. He could feel that Nigel was bigger than him, but he wasn't as nervous as he thought he would be. He had never been with another man before, he didn't know what to do. But he knew he wanted to please Nigel, the man had been so good to him, made him so happy, and he really was amazing, in Adam's eyes. So he did what he thought was right.

Nigel immediately pulled away at the abrupt feeling of Adam's hand grabbing his half hard cock, and all but jerked back.
Adam pulled back too, fearing that he had made a big mistake.

"I-I'm sorry." He managed to mutter out, daring not to look in Nigel's eyes. He suddenly felt like he wanted to just crawl in a hole and die, but he couldn't will away his feelings as easily.

Nigel took a moment to look at the trembling man in front of him, before seeming to make a decision.

"No, no, it's okay dear, you just surprised me." Nigel comforted, getting closer to Adam, wrapping his arms back around him, rubbing those comforting circles in the small of his back.

"B-but why d-did you pull a-away?" Nigel sighed, "Well Adam, I was surprised, I mean, you didn't give me much warning. And I don't want to take...advantage of you."

Adam looked up at Nigel, "Nigel, I'm not a child, I, I know what I want...and I really want you." Adam could hardly process what he was saying, but Nigel got the bigger message. The young man was completely sure about what he wanted, but still, the fact that he just, grabbed it.

"And what do you mean you were surprised, I thought that's what people do?" Adam almost looked like he would cry. The poor boy must have been so confused, Nigel reflected.

He hugged Adam tighter, "Well, you just...went for it. I mean, when you do things like that, you have to give warning." Adam was still confused. "But I thought you would want me to..." "And I do Adam, I mean, as long as you want to. But, you have to build up to it, dear."

Adam started to pout a little, sticking his bottom lip out just slightly. Nigel couldn't help but placing a kiss on it, which made Adam blush. "Well...how do I build up to it?"

Nigel smiled and asked if Adam wanted him to show him. He got an anxious nod in return.

"Well, first thing you want to do is kiss," Nigel then leaned down and gave small kisses on Adam's lips, then long and slow deeper kisses, taking control, making Adam quiver at how good he kissed his boy. "The second thing," One last kiss for good measure, earning a little whimper from Adam as he pulled away with a smirk, "is use your hands, and find new places to kiss." Nigel began sucking on Adam's neck, using his hands to roam Adam's chest and no lower, his fingers circling Adam's nipples as he gave soft bites to Adam's velvet smooth neck, receiving tiny screams of pleasure from Adam, that quickly turned to moans and Nigel squeezed the hardening nubs, rubbing them, even bringing his fingers to his mouth, then rubbing the cool saliva on Adam's warm sensitive skin.

"Aaaah!" Adam managed to squeak out when Nigel lightly pinched them, simultaneously placing small bites along the crook of Adam's neck.

"Next thing you want to do," Another nip, "is be a tease." Nigel then traced his hand down Adam's slim torso, lightly scratching at the area just above his crotch, below his belly button. "Nnnhhnmmm" Or something to the affect, stumbled out of Adam's trembling lips as Nigel dragged his hand down lower only to come back up to his nipples when he was almost at Adam's cock.

Adam squirmed under Nigel's treatment, silently begging with pleading eyes for Nigel to touch him.

"Last step, my dear." Nigel affirmed, laying kisses on Adam's gasping mouth, trailing back to his neck, letting his hand touch the young man sprawled out in front of him. "Nigel!" Adam yelled when he finally felt the large strong hands of Nigel stroke him. He couldn't describe the sensation, so rough, but so gentle. Nigel knew it wouldn't take long for Adam to come, the poor boy was already leaking precum before he had even touched him. But Nigel still enjoyed watching him squirm none the less.

Several strokes and perfect twists of his hand later, Nigel brought his hand, covered in hot cum to his mouth, and made Adam watch as he licked it all gone.

Adam was gasping when Nigel was finished, spent and tired, he laid there for several moments as Nigel laid feather light kisses all over his body, calming him to down, sleep threatening to take over.

"But Nigel-" Adam tried to protest as the older man brought the blankets up and tucked Adam firmly into bed. "I want to...help you." Adam managed to pick a decent choice of words for wanting more than anything to touch Nigel. "Another time sweetheart, sleep right now though, I promise it's okay." Nigel assured him with a soft kiss, smiling as Adam's flushed and sweaty face relaxed into sleep.

As bad as he wanted Adam to touch him, he wanted Adam to do it because he wanted to, not because he felt like he needed to reciprocate his actions. He thought about going to the bathroom to relieve himself, but decided he was too tired, and soon found himself joining Adam in a deep sleep.

*

Nigel woke up to kisses, not just any kisses, but Adam kisses. Soft, then deep, ever unsure, then gaining confidence. The older man smiled as he woke up, the sun shining brightly through, giving Adam a glowing halo around his pale body. "What are you doing?" He asked with a wider smile. Adam bit his lip, then began kissing Nigel deeper now that he was awake. "Step one..." The young man began.

Chapter Text

"What the fuck, Nigel?"

Jack asked, his face complete confusion at the man he once regarded as the most dangerous man he'd ever meet, and here he is, asking him to watch over his...boyfriend? It just didn't sound right, even Nigel had trouble spitting the words out.

"Look, I'd rather not make you. I just need you and Jimmy and Garrett to watch over him when I'm doing business." Adam had been getting restless at Nigel's apartment, and Nigel needed to get back to work.

"You want us to babysit your little fuck toy?" Jack asked incredulous.

Nigel wanted to hit the man, he hadn't had sex with Adam yet, the only touched, so far. But he restrained himself, for the sake of needing dependent men to watch over his boy.

"Please, just do this for me." Nigel resorted to saying please, nearly begging.

Jack had never seen the man like this. He thought about it for a while, then nodded his head. He figured that no matter how much of a twat Nigel sounded like right now, it would be better than saying no. And it's not like he had anything going on anyway. It would be easy to get the others on board, but he still couldn't believe the fact that Nigel was with the guy. "What happened to Brian?" Jack asked as Nigel began to walk away, the man turned around, "Dead." he said simply. That was enough assurance that Jack needed to watch over Adam. He didn't want to end up like Zeller.

~

"But why?" Adam asked, sitting on Nigel's stomach, his legs folded on either side of the man.

Nigel looked up at the boy through half lidded eyes, absentmindedly running his hands up and down Adam's pale thighs, "I've got work, dear."

Adam's bottom lip poked out slightly, "But you didn't have work before."

Nigel just smiled and flipped Adam over so he was on his back, Nigel laying above him, on arm supporting him on the bed while the other roamed Adam's body. "It's not an average job, love."

Adam tried to look disgruntled, but couldn't keep it up when Nigel kept running his hands on his sides, knowing Adam was ticklish there.

Nigel kissed the young man's lips softly, "Besides," another little kiss, "You can," another, "go to the," again, "library." he finished by giving Adam one long slow deep kiss, making the man squirm beneath him. "Really?!" Adam bubbled out, still half way in the kiss. Nigel laughed with a sigh, "Yes, I'll have my men be with you the whole day, just to make sure no one messes with you."

Adam's eyes went wide, "Don't worry, they won't hurt you." Nigel assured. "You're doing this...for me?" Adam questioned, his voice low with surprise that Nigel cared enough to send his most trusted men with him. "Of course, I'd do anything for you, my dear." Nigel gave Adam another kiss before climbing off of him and getting dressed.

"They're outside waiting, get dressed, I'll introduce you...don't worry, they won't hurt you anymore." Nigel told him again, waiting for the man to get dressed.

~

Adam felt nervous in the car with the three men, Jack tried a few attempts at talking. He mentioned how tonight was supposed to be a full moon, just trying to get some casual conversation, little did he know it would launch Adam into practically a lecture.

It took twenty minutes to get to the library and Adam still had not stopped talking. Nigel told them he'd do that, but their patience was wearing thin.

Thankfully Adam didn't talk much more after they entered the huge library. The young man opting for finding books instead.

The men strolled around for an hour, watching Adam, making sure no one was bothering the kid. They got suspicious stares from a few old ladies, and one man eyed their tattoos, deciding not to say anything. But they soon grew tired, they all agreed to take turns going out to get a bite to eat, so someone could be with Adam at all times.

That's how the men managed to stay sane, while they watched over Adam in the library for nearly eight hours, until they were asked to leave. They griped and grumbled when Adam asked them to help him carry some books. And by some he meant each one of them had to carry a handful each. Jack was the closest to wanting to strangle the young man, but quickly changed his mind when he saw Nigel's car pull into the parking lot.

"Finally." Jack muttered as he walked passed Nigel. Nigel stopped him and handed him five hundred dollars without Adam seeing, "Keep it up when I need you and there'll be more." Jack's bad mood suddenly brightened as he got in his car with Jimmy and Garrett, giving both of them some of the money. Deciding that maybe Adam was worth keeping around.

~

"Did you have fun?" Nigel asked as he finished carrying in the last arm full of books with Adam. "Yes! Thank you so much Nigel, I even found the new..." Adam kept talking about all of his books, immediately opening one of them, a new one, on space and time. Nigel watched him, the corners of his eyes crinkling into a genuine smile. He loved seeing Adam so passionate. Something about the boy could just stir something in him.

"Alright, that's enough for tonight don't you think?" Nigel asked after Adam kept reading, even during supper. The young man seemed to not hear Nigel's question, which should have made the older man angry, but he only smiled and shook his head, walking to Adam and gently closing his book. "Hey-" The young man began, but was cut off by warm full lips covering his own.

He didn't continue his complaint when Nigel pulled away.

Nigel took his hand, and led him to the bed, hoping tonight was the night. Hoping Adam was ready.

He laid the young man gently on the bed, kissing his soft lips open and running his tongue on the roof of the young man's mouth, then giving soft bites to his lips. Nigel let his hands travel to Adam's shirt, quickly undoing the buttons and slipping it off. He rubbed Adam through his pants while he sucked on the young man's neck, causing him to make a whimpering sound when Nigel pulled away, to pull his pants all the way off, and his boxers.

Adam didn't know what Nigel had in mind, but he followed the older man's movements and removed Nigel's clothing through their kisses, too.

"You're so beautiful Adam." Nigel told the man in between kisses, trailing down to his collar bone, leaving soft bites, making Adam cry out, but not wanting Nigel to stop.

Nigel returned to Adam's mouth and kissed him deeply, he pulled away and brought his fingers to Adam's mouth, gently coaxing the young man into sucking on them. Adam felt silly, but strangely turned on by Nigel's fingers in his mouth. Soon Nigel pulled them out and began kissing Adam again. Adam had no idea what Nigel had in mind.

Nigel was only gently circling Adam's entrance when the young man suddenly screamed and scampered as far away from Nigel as he could on the bed.

Nigel looked shocked at Adam's horrified reaction, but his face softened because he knew all along there was a chance Adam would still be traumatized, as he had every right to be.

Nigel didn't mean to look disappointed, he knew it would take time for Adam to recover, but he couldn't hide it all.

Adam's face turned into a sad frown. "I-I'm sorry...I'm-m a l-little brok-ken." The young man managed to stutter out, causing Nigel to hate himself for letting Adam see his face.

"No, no, shhh, come here baby." Nigel crooned. Adam seemed hesitant, but crawled back to Nigel anyway, wrapping a blanket around him as he slowly went, his arms shaking, barely holding him up.

Nigel wrapped his arms around Adam, and picked him up, sitting him in his lap. Adam screamed, but Nigel held him close, letting the young man get used to the feel of Nigel's arms, a safe place for him.

"Shh.." Nigel soothed as Adam slowly settled down.

Nigel began to hear faint sniffels, and felt warm tear drops on his bare chest. He sighed inwardly. He hated that his darling boy had gotten hurt. He felt angry, towards Brian, towards anyone who dared touch Adam, towards himself.

"I'm sorry, Adam." Nigel repeated over and over and over. The room fell silent, even the cars outside seemed to quiet down, just enough to calm Adam down, just enough for him to grasp onto the fact that Nigel was his anchor.

"Nigel?" Adam asked, his voice shaky, but softer.

"Yes Adam?" Nigel asked, trying to use the most soothing voice he could muster.

"I...I know that you really want to do things, and so do I. But I'm just..." Nigel felt another tear roll down his chest from Adam. "But I'm just not ready. I really like you...a lot, I don't know how I feel but I know I think I really really like you, more than like you...But I know you have to do things, because you're you. And I-I understand if you don't want me anymore. I'll leave you alone, I just...I lo- I...I'm sorry." Adam finished, his tears even more now, he tried to get up from Nigel's lap. His head was swarming with emotions and he wanted to escape.

Nigel felt the small cold heart he had shatter. He felt like someone had knocked the breath out of him. He just sat in shock as Adam quickly put his clothes on, running out of his apartment, tears streaming down his face.

Suddenly time caught back up to Nigel and he threw on his clothes and ran out, chasing after Adam.

"Adam, Adam!" Nigel yelled ahead of him, just barely seeing Adam descend the stairs.

It took all of ten minutes for Nigel to finally catch up with Adam, the young man crouched under a stairwell outside, arms hugging himself, huddled into a ball.

Nigel approached him slowly, letting Adam know he was there, this time, the young man didn't try to run again. Nigel carefully knelt down and wrapped his arms around him. It was very cold that night, and the last thing Nigel needed was Adam to freeze to death.

Adam leaned into Nigel's warm embrace, staying quiet, giving Nigel time to think.

He loved Adam, he really did. And apparently Adam loves him too...but what would everyone think of him? It doesn't matter, he told himself. He loves this boy, he shouldn't have to hide it. Besides, he had been looking into a new place to live, a new state. Maybe Adam would be willing to go with him...

"Adam?" Nigel asked tentatively. The young man looked up, his big blue eyes shining with tears.

Nigel bent down and gave Adam a little kiss on his nose, that had become red from the cold. Adam melted into Nigel then, deciding that he trusted the man enough to become practically lifeless in his arms.

Nigel only smiled at the man sprawled in his arms, before he got up, picking Adam up with him.

"You know I would normally kill someone for making me chase after them in the cold." Nigel teased a sleepy Adam. The young man gave a tired smile as he curled into Nigel's chest, while the older man carried him back to the apartment.

"I love you, Adam." Nigel whispered as he laid Adam in his bed, crawling in beside him, pulling the covers over them both.

Adam was on the verge of sleep, but still heard Nigel. He buried his head in between the bed and arm Nigel had over him, curling up to his...love.

"I love you too." Adam yawned as his eyes closed for a deep sleep.

It was the first time in a long time that Nigel had went to sleep with a smile on his face.

Chapter Text

Nigel woke up first today, taking a moment to come to, before turning on his side to look at the man curled with his back to him. Nigel traced Adam's back bone and shoulders with his eyes, memorizing every dip and sharp point. Slowly he reached out his hand, running long fingers down the young man's neck, running along his spine, circling his shoulders, rubbing them lightly.

Adam began stirring under Nigel's soft touch. The young man gently turned over, sleepily blinking up at the man looming above him. He let out a soft yawn, his blurry eyes looking up at Nigel with a smile teasing to break through.

"I have got to keep a better hold on you during the night, you always move away from me." Nigel teased him softly, rubbing the young man's arms in lazy circles.

It took Adam a few minutes to realize Nigel was joking, but eventually the younger man let out an embarrassed smile.

Nigel made a humming noise as he wrapped an arm around Adam and pulled him close to his chest. The younger man closed his eyes again, letting sleep wrap him up again.

"No no no," Nigel reprimanded, gently shaking Adam to wake back up. The young man looked up to him, trying to look frustrated, but only managing to look like a lost puppy. Nigel let out a low laugh, "I've got some more work today, but don't worry, I'm sending some men with you to do whatever you want today." Adam looked up at him, "The same men from yesterday?" Nigel nodded.

Adam laid his head back against the pillow, sighing quietly. "What's wrong sweetheart?" Nigel asked, leaning down to get closer to the young man. "I just.." Nigel leaned down and touched Adam's nose with his, making Adam smile shyly. "What is it babe?" Nigel asked again, much quieter, much closer.

Adam seemed to debate, then sighed and admitted what was bothering him. "I was just hoping that maybe...we could spend some time together." The young man blushed and tried to look away, feeling bad and guilty for admitting it.

Nigel looked at his...lover, and cocked his head. So that's what had been bothering his boy...

Nigel suddenly began grinning like a child. Adam caught sight of it and began asking why Nigel was smiling so much.

The older man only looked down at him, smiling wider. He leaned down and kissed him, soft, sweet, chaste. Then Nigel kissed him again, gently flicking his tongue out, asking Adam to open up. Adam was resentful but eventually opened up. Nigel twirled his tongue around Adam's, knowing the young man liked it so much.

After several moans from Adam, Nigel pulled back, smiling again. Adam began pouting about Nigel pulling away, but was shushed with a finger to over his mouth to quiet him.

"I'm going to pick you up at nine tonight, dear." Nigel beamed, feeling inwardly proud that he was doing something normal people would do in a relationship.

Adam's eyes went wide with anticipation. Nigel was going to...take him out?

Adam began to smile too, making Nigel smile more. "My boy, I am going to give you the stars tonight." Nigel smiled wider as Adam's eyes filled with curiosity. "Where are we going Nigel?" The older man only smiled, kissing Adam again.

"You'll see."

~

After the men got money from Nigel, the idea of watching over Adam didn't seem so bad anymore.

They even agreed with each other to try and tolerate the young man a bit better.

Today Adam wanted to visit museums, so they did.

Adam stood at one particular exhibit for two hours, reading all the texts and books and displays laid out. The men worked out a rotating schedule again, making it easier to handle.

Jack made note to talk to Nigel about why Adam was the way he was.

~

Nigel spent the majority of his day tracking people down for clients, his only breaks for food and smoke.

He managed to finish earlier than expected, thankful that he'd have time to prepare for tonight.

He knew where he'd take Adam, it was a little clearing in some brush of a local forest. He doubted the young man had been there, it was too secluded, and illegal to be off the trails.

He slowly became aware that in his head he had been referring to Adam as his. Became slowly aware that he hadn't been to a strip club in over a month, aware that he hadn't drank nearly as much.

He smiled a little to himself. Adam was changing him...he liked it, but he knew he needed to maintain an image for the public.

But that would have to wait just a bit longer.

Nigel called a "friend" who owed him a favor for a job he had done once. A pet store owner, back when he was doing jobs for the common man.

~

"Thank you gentlemen, you can go now." Nigel's voice quietly told them in the nearly empty library. All museums closed two hours ago, and this was the only library that stayed open late.

Jack, Garrett and Jimmy all let out a sigh of relief as they eagerly passed Nigel, who handed them another wad of cash before Adam could see.

They all rejoiced with the new money to drink with and go to the club. Not caring that the man they once considered deathly and lethal was now courting a stuttery weird young man.

"Did you have a good day?" Nigel asked, sneaking up on Adam, who was looking at books on mechanics and how things worked. The young man jumped as he heard Nigel's voice and felt his strong arms wrap around his waist, his mouth resting on his neck.

Adam smiled as he settled into Nigel's arms, the older man swaying him lightly. Adam began rambling on about his day to Nigel, explaining about all he learned, all the exhibits he saw. Nigel smiled and closed his eyes in the crook of Adam's neck, letting the young man go on until his pocket buzzed, his phone getting a new text.

:It's ready: read his phone.

He smiled as he turned Adam around to face him, hushing him with a kiss. "Sorry." Adam breathed out. Nigel only laughed, "It's okay dear. You ready?" Adam nodded jerkily, following Nigel to his car.

*

"What is this place, Nigel?" Adam asked, his voice wavering, showing his curiosity. "It's a state park forest that I come to sometimes." Adam smiled as Nigel opened his door and took his hand, then opened the trunk and pulled out a basket. "What's that?" Adam bubbled, excited. "Dinner." Nigel simply replied, smiling.

It wasn't a long walk, to get where Nigel wanted to show Adam. The young man's gaze stayed on the sky as Nigel laid down a large blanket, then another to wrap themselves in. "Adam," Nigel gently brought Adam's attention back to earth, "sit with me, dear." Adam smiled as he sat next to Nigel, the older man wrapping a large blanket around them both, then beginning to pull out the food he packed for them, and a bottle of wine.

"I hope this is an okay way to spend time with you." Nigel smiled, looking over to Adam. The young man grinned and scooted closer to Nigel, "It's perfect." he whispered, letting his gaze drift back to the sky, biting his tongue to not say anything about the stars and the planets they could see in such an unpolluted area.

Nigel set out there food, then slid a hand holding a cracker with meat and cheese to Adam's mouth. It startled the young man, but he opened his mouth, and blushed when Nigel slid his thumb across his bottom lip after feeding it to him. Adam tried to do the same with Nigel, but didn't manage to do it as smoothly, accidentally spilling the cracker and meat on Nigel's black shirt. "Oh...um, I'm sorry." Adam stuttered out, feeling his face grow hot. Nigel only smiled and wiped it off, not caring, only enjoying being here with Adam. "Quite alright my dear." The older man assured, feeding Adam another, then giving one to himself.

After their dinner of sorts was done, Nigel opened the bottle of wine, and laid on his back, bringing Adam with him, the young man laying sideways, laying his head on Nigel's firm but soft around the edges stomach.

The men stared up at the stars, passing the wine back and forth, drinking out of the bottle. "Tell me about the sky, Adam." Nigel said softly, the alcohol swimming warmly in his belly, accompanied by the gentle weight of Adam's head.

"That one..." Adam began, his voice more animated, the wine working in him as he pointed to spots in the sky, telling Nigel all about them.

They only drank half the bottle, Nigel still had one more thing for Adam. They laid there for at least two hours, partly for Nigel to let the wine fade away, and partly because Adam's voice, no matter how flat it got, stirred something warm in Nigel, something innocent; unnatural almost.

"Adam," Nigel gently interrupted, after the fifth explanation of black holes. "Hmm?" Adam asked as he turned, his head still on Nigel stomach, but facing him. Nigel smiled at the man on him, wondering how he could have been so lucky to get him.

"I think we should go now, it's getting colder." Adam frowned, but got up with Nigel anyway, because it really was cold.

Nigel packed everything away as Adam continued to stare at the sky.

"We'll come here again sometime, okay?" Nigel asked, wrapping his arms around Adam's waist. Adam nodded and reluctantly pulled his gaze away from the clear sky. Nigel draped the blanket over his shivering boy, then wrapped his arm around his waist as they walked, their basket in his other hand.

The walk cleared both of their minds from the fuzzy feeling the alcohol gave, Nigel was thankful, he wanted Adam in full consciousness for what he would see soon.

Adam suddenly grabbed Nigel's hand when they got back on the road, driving the half hour to Nigel's apartment. The older man looked over to Adam, realizing that Adam just made a sort of pass, without initiation, grabbing his hand to hold without needing to be asked or encouraged. Ah, his boy was making progress. He smiled and squeezed his young love's hand.

*

"Close your eyes, Adam." Nigel told him as they approached his apartment, "Buy why-" Adam began to ask, but being abruptly cut off with a light kiss. "Please?" Nigel asked, the young man obliging.

Nigel opened his door, checking first to make sure of the large box in the entrance of the doorway to his-their bedroom.

Nigel took Adam's hand and led him to the doorway, then told Adam he could open his eyes. Adam was confused, staring down at the box.

He turned to Nigel for direction, "Open it." the older man assured.

Adam hesitated, but removed the bow carefully and opened the large box. It was the first time in the entire time that Nigel knew Adam, that the young man let out a squeal.

Adam's outburst caused tiny yelps to come from the box. The spotted Chow Chow puppy stirring, awakened by Adam's noise of excitement.

"Nigel!" He nearly screamed, swinging around to face the older man. Nigel only smiled as Adam's pale arms swung around his neck, his legs lifting up, wrapping around him waist. Nigel briefly entertained the idea of taking Adam like that, flopping him on the bed, getting all his want come over him. But he would never do that to Adam, not if it would hurt him. Instead he wrapped his arms around the boy clinging to him, managing not to fall over by the small weight that just jumped on him.

Adam buried his face in the crook of Nigel's neck. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you!" Adam repeated over and over, Nigel even felt a few warm tears fall on his neck. He held Adam back, "What' wrong dear, you don't like it?"

Adam shook his head quickly, "No I love it...It's just no one's ever done anything for me like this, thank you Nigel, thank you so much." Adam hugged back onto Nigel tighter, "I love you." the young man whispered, holding Nigel and continuing to thank him. Nigel laughed lightly, "I love you too, Adam." now play with your puppy, I'll fix his food and water, just get to know him, name him, too...He can sleep with us for a few nights if you want." Nigel finished with a kiss as he got Adam off of him. The young man immediately reaching into the box. He was careful, like the books said people had to be with puppies. He didn't know ho much care went into them until he had read so much about them, he was thankful now that he read all he could, otherwise he might have hurt it.

Nigel smiled as he opened the bag of food he made sure the man had included. While he fixed the puppy its necessities, he thought about Adam, telling him for the second time that he loved him. Emotions were hard for Adam, it made Nigel's small heart swell that Adam could feel so strongly for Nigel.

Adam thought about what to call the pup, he thought about it for a while, then settled on Pollux, one of his favorite stars.

As Nigel poured water in a little dish, he set up the sort of doggy litter box for it, thankful that the pup had been trained so young.

"Adam, have you decided a name?" Nigel asked, after a few minutes of Adam petting and playing with the puppy on the bed, the little dog looking like a ball of brown grey and golden spotted fur.

"Pollux!" Adam beamed, Nigel didn't ask, but he assumed it had something to do with space.

"As much as I'd love for you to stay up all night with...Pollux, I must insist we sleep, dear." Adam didn't pout much since Nigel said he could sleep with them. Adam quickly stripped to his boxer shorts, Nigel doing the same.

Adam held Pollux close and he curled up on the bed, then scooted close to Nigel when the other man got in. Nigel felt soft lips kiss his jaw, but by the time he looked back down, Adam's attention was turned back to the little pup in his arms, nuzzling the wet nosed animal to him and Nigel closer. "Welcome to the family." Nigel heard Adam giddily whisper, he must have thought the older man was asleep, because he jumped a little when Nigel kissed the top of his head.

Chapter Text

"What do you see?" Nigel asked, his arm laid on the grass, Adam's head resting at his shoulder, his other arm curled around the other puppy resting on his chest. "Cooled water vapor." Adam replied blankly. Nigel laughed a little, "No, silly. What kind of shapes do you see?" "Altostratus." Adam said. Nigel rolled his eyes. "I see a ship." Adam furrowed his brows, wanting to be able to see what his lover was seeing. "I-I don't see it, Nigel." Adam admitted, feeling like he let him down. Nigel only smiled and turned his head to bury his nose in Adam's growing curls.

Pollux began to stir on Nigel's chest, lifting his head to meet Adam's shining eyes, happy to see his puppy awake. The little fur ball scrambled over Nigel's chest, making the man groan, right into Adam's arms, wagging his tail on Adam's chest, licking at Adam's nose. Nigel could feel Adam's quiet giggling at the tickling sensation, and he appreciated even more to see it all. "Why don't you go run around with him for a bit before we have to go?" Nigel suggested, knowing they'd soon get restless. Adam happily obliged, jumping up and attaching Pollux's leash to the thin blue collar.

Nigel cocked his head to the side on the ground, watching upside down as Adam leaped and bounded after Pollux, running and playing with the little pup. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the warming day, hearing little sounds from both Pollux and Adam. He smiled a little, he couldn't really remember being this happy before, couldn't remember ever even feeling what had taken to permanently reside in his stomach since he'd met Adam. He sighed, opening his eyes, feeling content, until his eyes scanned across a group of men across the street from the park, they hadn't noticed him yet, but he knew who they were. Part of a chain of gangs who hated Nigel and his groups. The man quickly got up, hustling Adam and the pup into his car. "What, Wh-" "Shh, Adam, we just need to go now."

Adam pouted but kept quiet, he learned over the last few weeks with Nigel that if the man said it was time to go, it was time to go. He trusted Nigel to know what was best for them, even if he couldn't understand.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, we just-" "I know, Nigel." Adam quietly chirped in. Nigel smiled, happy his boy wasn't requesting an explanation, that meant Adam was trusting him more and more. Pollux wasn't as satisfied though, but his little body was already drained of energy, opting to curl up at Adam's neck and sleep the ride home.

"Should I wake him up?" Adam asked once they were in Nigel's apartment. Nigel smiled and took the puppy from Adam, he only stirred lightly, then laid him down on his little dog bed. "Let's let him sleep, darling." Nigel told him, taking his hand and leading him to the bedroom. "My turn to play." Nigel told a blushing Adam as he shut their bedroom door.