Chapter Text
Niko should have known it was a setup.
George never smiled that early in the day. Especially not while handing someone coffee he didn't spit in first but there he was, seated at the back table of the student union cafe, two coffees already on the table, beaming like he'd just won the lottery or committed a small felony he was very proud of.
Niko should have really known something was up when George bought him coffee.
It wasn't even a passive-aggressive pity latte. It was a perfect order, the kind of coffee that usually came right after a breakup or a final exam.
Kenny sat across from him, calmly dunking a teabag into his cup like he wasn't the one who had texted Niko
And Niko, despite every red flag in existence, had shown up.
"This feels like a trap" Niko said as he hovered beside the table for a moment, eyeing them both.
"Wow. What a completely unfounded accusation" George said as he grinned wider.
"You texted me, 'we have questions. come to the cafe, no excuses, and bring your soul' followed by sixteen eye emojis" Niko said.
"I wanted to set the mood" Kenny said.
"And you brought it" George said as he gestured to the seat across from them.
"Sit" George added.
"You look... tired" Kenny said as he looked up, finally acknowledging Niko with a squint.
"I'm tired of being harassed" Niko said as he sat down slowly.
Niko sat down slowly, grabbing the untouched cup of coffee with his name scribbled on the lid. One sip. Perfect. Too perfect.
"Yeah, like someone who got absolutely railed last night" Kenny said as he leaned in, smirking.
Niko immediately choked on his coffee.
"I--I didn't--I mean--what?" Niko said.
"So you did" George said as he put both elbows on the table, fingers steepled like an evil CEO.
"No! I mean--maybe! Wait, what are we talking about?!" Niko sputtered.
"Bro. You walked into class yesterday in the same hoodie from the night before, hair all fucked up, and looking like you found God through your pelvic floor" Kenny said as he barked a laugh, then leaned back in his chair with a smug look.
"You were smiling like someone who saw the face of joy and then made out with it" George said as he nodded solemnly.
"Stop talking" Niko groaned, covering his face with his hands.
"You drug this?" Niko said after recovering for a moment as he narrowed his eyes to the cup.
"No, but I did buy it as a goodwill gesture" George said as he leaned forward, hands steepled under his chin.
"You've never done anything out of goodwill in your life" Niko said as hs blinked.
"That's because you've never slept with Aj before" George said.
Niko choked immediately. Half the cafe looked up as he coughed violently into his sleeve.
"What the hell?!" Niko said, looking scandalized.
"So it was him" Kenny said as he raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed.
"I didn't say that!" Niko tried to defend himself.
"You didn't have to. You're blushing like a man who's been rearranged by God's grumpiest angel" George said as he leaned back smugly.
"I hate you" Niko said.
"Okay" George said, setting his smoothie down.
"Start talking" George added.
"About what?" Niko asked, eyes wide.
"About why you're dressed like a man who got laid and isn't sure whether to feel smug or terrified" Kenny chimed in.
Niko looked down at himself. Oversized hoodie. Sweats. Hair vaguely messed up in a too deliberate way. A faint mark at the base of his throat, which he had definitely not noticed before now.
"Niko" George said as he sat up straighter.
"I don't know what you're talking about" Niko said, playing dumb.
"You have a bite mark on your collarbone" Kenny said as he pointed out with the straw.
"It could be a--mosquito bite" Niko said weakly.
"In this time of the year?" Kenny asked.
"A very determined mosquito" Niko said.
"So help me, if you say the phrase 'love bug' I will throw you out that window" Kenny said.
"Tell me it was Aj" George said.
"Tell me you finally pulled your life together and climbed that brooding emotional skyscraper" George added.
"Why are you both like this" Niko muttered, cheeks absolutely on fire.
"I knew it" Kenny said triumphantly.
"You didn't know anything!" Niko said.
"I did, you showed up to class in the same hoodie you were wearing the day before, your hair looked like it had been styled by friction, and you smiled--smiled, Niko--like someone who found religion via a headboard" Kenny pointed it out again.
"You were practically floating. I'm shocked you weren't glowing" George said as he nodded solemnly.
"I was not glowing" Niko muttered, wishing the earth would just open up and swallow him.
"You glide-walked through campus. We asked you where you were going and you said, 'nowhere, but everywhere" George said.
"Okay" Niko groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"I might've been a little emotionally disoriented" Niko said.
Kenny just looked at him knowingly while George raised an eyebrow.
"I mean--okay, technically, yes, there was some--look, it's none of your business!" Niko said as he immediately backtracked.
"Confirmed" George said as he fist-bumped Kenny.
"Operation Soft Boy Subversion was a success" Kenny said.
"I'm going to walk into traffic" Niko muttered into his coffee.
"You slept with Aj" Kenny said.
"Like--Aj. Mr. One eyebrow raised is a threat Aj. Mr. I don't believe in feelings Aj" George said.
"And you seduced him with your chaotic bisexual menace energy" George added.
"I'm not even mad. I'm proud" Kenny said.
"So it really was Aj" George said as he grinned.
"I'm not confirming anything!" Niko said.
"Right, right" Kenny said with a nod.
"But hypothetically--if it was Aj--how was it?" Kenny asked.
Niko looked at him like he'd grown a second head.
"We just care about your emotional wellbeing. And also the sex" Kenny said as he held up a hand.
"God, you're both actual nightmares" Niko said.
"And yet, you chose to love us" George said as he smiled sweetly.
"Okay, okay--fine! I slept with Aj. Happy?!" Niko said as he flailed.
Dead silence.
George's eyes widened. Kenny's mouth dropped open in slow motion. Both of them looked, for one unbroken moment, like they were buffering.
"You actually what?" Kenny exploded.
"You what?!" George echoed.
"I thought we're grilling him for fun" Kenny muttered.
"Okay first of all" Niko said, pointing at them both.
"Stop yelling like I crashed a car" Niko added.
"You basically crashed Aj!" Kenny shouted.
"That man is a closed-door, limited-edition, sarcasm-powered trauma crypt and you--" Kenny said.
"--you hopped the gate" George continued.
"Broke into the library, and checked out the special collection!" George added.
"Why are we using metaphors?!" Niko said as his hands flailed again.
"Because I'm panicking!" Kenny yelped.
"You touched him intimately! Did he combust?!" Kenny asked.
"No, actually, he--uh--melted? A little?" Niko said.
"Christ" George said as he put his head in his hands.
"Does he regret it? Do you regret it? Does he know you're still an idiot?" Kenny said as he started pacing.
"Okay, rude" Niko said.
"YES. I knew brooding enemies-to-lovers tension would pay off!" George said as he immediately let out a victory shout, grabbing Kenny by the sleeve and doing a triumphant fist bump across the table.
"It wasn't enemies-to-lovers" Niko said miserably.
"Roommates-to-lover-to-emotional-damage then?" George asked.
"I hate that you're not even wrong" Niko said, giving up.
"Bro" Kenny said as he stopped in his tracks.
"What?" Niko asked.
"You caught feelings" Kenny said.
"I had feelings!" Niko shouted.
"I've been living in a slow-burn pining hell for like months!" Niko said.
"So, are you okay?" Kenny asked as he sat back, his expression softening slightly now that the fun part was over.
"I mean... yeah. I think so" Niko said as he blinked, surprised by the shift in tone.
"You think so?" George asked.
"I don't know" Niko said as he twisted the coffee lid nervously.
"It was... a lot. It wasn't just a hookup. It felt like something finally snapped. You know how sometimes someone says one honest thing and it cracks the whole room open?" Niko said.
"Yeah" Kenny said as he nodded slowly.
"Aj said stuff. Stuff I wasn't expecting. Then kissed me like it was a war and he was trying to win it" Niko said.
"Aj kissed you? First?" George said as he made a small, amazed sound.
Niko nodded.
"You're telling me you finally kissed him and it didn't result in emotional detonation?" George asked as he blinked.
"No" Niko said, soft now.
"It was... it was actually kind of slow. Careful. Gentle" Niko added.
"He let you be soft with him? Are we talking about the same Aj here?" Kenny asked as he narrowed his eyes.
Niko nodded.
George sat back, visibly processing that.
"God. I'm so happy right now. That man has the emotional openness of a sealed tomb" George said as he looked like he needed to lie down.
"I think it overwhelmed him" Niko said, quieter now.
"Afterward, he... he stayed. He didn't run. But he also didn't say anything. And I didn't want to push" Niko added.
"Do you know where you stand now?" Kenny asked as his brow furrowed.
"No. I think he needs space. Or time. Or maybe he just regrets it and doesn't know how to say so without burning me down in the process" Niko said.
"Does he regret it?" George said as he gave him a look.
"No" Niko said immediately. Then paused.
"I don't think so" Niko added.
"So, do you love him?" Kenny asked as he leaned forward again, hands folded.
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Niko asked as he blinked.
"Because the answer's written on your damn face" George said.
Niko hesitated. Then said, quietly.
"Yeah" Niko muttered.
Neither of them teased him for that.
George looked down at his cup, nodding once.
"Okay, then we need to ask the hard questions" Kenny said as he exhaled.
"Please don't" Niko said as he winced.
"If he panics and pushes you away" Kenny said.
"What are you gonna do?" Kenny added.
"Give him space" Niko said.
"And not let him go" Niko added.
"Even if it means waiting around for someone who might not come back?" George asked as he tilted his head.
"I'd rather wait than pretend I didn't mean it" Niko said as his fingers curled around the coffee cup.
There was silence.
Then George grinned again.
"God, you're such a little simp" George said.
"I hate you" Niko said.
"You slept with your emotional nemesis and now you want to write him poetry. You are the poetry" George said.
"You know, I did this to myself" Niko said as he took another sip of his coffee.
"You did" Kenny said, patting his arm.
"But look on the bright side, now we get to be overly protective and scare Aj into treating you right" Kenny added.
"No" Niko said immediately.
"Please don't. I don't want to freak him out" Niko added.
"We won't say anything" George said innocently.
"We'll just hover menacingly" George added.
"God" Niko said as he painfully closed his eyes for a second.
"You let us know when he's ready" Kenny said.
"Until then, we'll keep your tragic little secret" Kenny added.
"It's not tragic!" Niko said.
"It is romantically tragic. Like a novella with soft lighting and vague crying" George said as he smiled.
"I should've stayed in bed" Niko said as he trulu gave up. He slumped forward onto the table.
"And miss this?" George asked as he beamed.
"Never" George said.
////_////_////_////
Niko had just begun to recover from the Kenny and George Inquisition when the door to the café opened with force, the kind of force reserved for dramatic courtroom objections and kicking down doors in a soap opera. It slammed against the stopper with a thud.
And in strolled Sharky.
With sunglasses on.
Indoors.
Dragging a very resigned-looking Chunkz behind him, who had an ipad in one hand and the Math Club schedule spreadsheet in the other, looking like he'd much rather be doing taxes. Or sleeping. Or being unconscious.
"There he is!" Sharky yelled, pointing dramatically at Niko like he'd caught him committing treason.
"The filthy little bastard who defiled our son!" Sharky added.
"What--what the hell?!" Niko said as he blinked.
"You know, I expected this. I just didn't thought it would be this louder" Kenny leaned over to whisper.
Sharky marched across the room and yanked out a chair at their table like he was settling in for trial. Chunkz followed, setting his ipad down and sliding in beside him with the slow grace of someone already calculating his boyfriend's damage control PR strategy.
"I haven't even--why are you here?" Niko said as he gaped.
"We heard things" Sharky said ominously.
"You texted George asking if Niko was walking different" Chunkz muttered.
"I needed data" Sharky said, side-eyeing Chunkz.
"Why is everyone obsessed with my sex life this week?!" Niko said as he slammed his hands on the table.
"Because you had sex with Aj!" Sharky said.
"Aj! Aj, the emotionally repressed puzzle box with no known human emotions or serotonin! You cracked the code, Niko! You opened the Vault of Feelings! You licked the forbidden key!" Sharky said.
George nearly fell out of his chair laughing.
"Please stop yelling the phrase 'licked the forbidden key' in a public space" Chunkz said as he put a hand on Sharky's shoulder.
"I will not be silenced!" Sharky said, sunglasses dramatically halfway down his nose.
"This is a matter of emotional state security!" Sharky added.
"I didn't crack any vault. We're not even--look, it wasn't planned" Niko said as he groaned into his cup.
"You think I plan anything?" Sharky started.
"We live in chaos but--" Sharky said as he leaned forward suddenly, tone shifting from manic to sincere.
"--we care about Aj. A lot. And if you're gonna be in his orbit now in this kind of level, we have questions" Sharky added.
"And if you hurt him, we will kill you. And then hide the body. And then create a fake alibi where we were both in Iceland helping orphaned puffins" Chunkz said still calm.
"That's disturbingly specific" Niko said as he stared, questioning his life choices.
"We looked into flights" Chunkz said, deadpan.
"I've been practicing puffin noises" Sharky said as he nodded.
"Okay--stop" Niko said, waving his hands.
"Can we please not turn my very real, very confusing, very emotional entanglement into an episode of Criminal Minds Dorm Edition?" Niko asked.
"No" Sharky said immediately.
"Because you entered the dragon's cave and survived, and now I need to know everything. Including your perspective" Sharky added.
"You don't need to know anything" Niko said.
"It was private" Niko added.
"Bitch, I was in the media room with Aj when he couldn't even make eye contact with me. Now he's making out with you? I need context! I need a PowerPoint!" Sharky said.
"I have a template" George said as he held up his phone.
"Stop enabling this!" Niko snapped.
"I'm just glad that Niko is getting really badly grilled for once" Kenny said as he sipped his tea.
"For real, though. Is he okay?" Sharky asked as he leaned forward again, this time with real concern beneath the absurdity.
Niko paused.
And then, softer.
"I don't know" Niko said.
"That bad?" Sharky said as his sunglasses finally slid fully off his nose.
"It's not bad" Niko said.
"It's just... Aj. He let me in. He let me stay. And then he shut down a bit after. Not like pushing me away. Just... holding it all in. Like he doesn't know what to do with what happened" Niko said.
"Yeah, that tracks" Sharky said as he actually nodded.
"Aj's like a locked room with a mirror inside. Even when you get in, he's still trying to hide from himself" Chunkz spoke up.
"Damn" George whispered.
"Poetic" George added.
"That might've been a math metaphor" Kenny said as he squinted.
"I contain multitudes" Chunkz said as he shrugged.
"I don't want to force him. But I also don't want him to think I regret anything" Niko said as he let out a breath.
"Then don't be a coward" Sharky said as he reached across the table and gently poked Niko's forehead.
"I'm not--" Niko was cut off.
"You are!" Sharky said.
"You've been in love with that man since gave you attitude that one time and you wrote three songs about it!" Sharky added.
"They were metaphors!" Niko said.
"They were ballads" Sharky said.
"God, please tell me no one else knows" Niko said as he covered his face again.
"Kenny and I" George said.
"Sharky and Chunkz" Kenny said.
"At least two girls from Theatre Club" Sharky said.
"And one janitor outside the dorm who heard Aj moaning your name--I'm sorry, that's a joke, stop looking at me like that--" Chunkz said as he looked back down to his ipad.
Niko was five seconds away from crawling under the table when Sharky clapped his hands once.
"Okay! So we're clear that we like you. Mostly" Sharky said.
"Thanks?" Niko said, hesitantly and probably racing for a backhanded compliment or a threat.
"But we love Aj. And if you even think about pulling a disappearing act or freezing up and pretending none of this happened--" Sharky paused.
"We will kill you" Chunkz said again, casually finishing his coffee.
"And" Sharky said brightly.
"We'll use the money we inherit from your death to fund Aj's therapy" Sharky added.
"You wouldn't inherit anything" Niko said.
"We might. I've seen your dorm. You probably have a cursed heirloom in there" George said.
"You have three lava lamps and a broken disco ball. They're bound to be haunted" Kenny said.
"I hate all of you" Niko groaned.
"But you love him" Sharky said.
Silence.
Then Niko, softly.
"Yeah, I do" Niko muttered.
Everyone shut up at that.
Even Sharky.
Even Chunkz.
"Alright, I'm good now" George said as he leaned back, suddenly grinning like a proud mom.
"Yeah, that's the answer we needed" Kenny said.
"Fine, we'll allow it" Sharky said as he smiled, something genuine in it now.
"I'm still calling the puffins, just in case" Chunkz said as he stood, collecting his ipad.
And Niko, surrounded by chaos, fake death threats, and emotionally protective weirdos, realized something strange:
He'd never felt safer in his life.