Levi snorted into Shiloh’s shoulder, but Mal’s eyes were on Nico. He watched Nico pace, expressionless as usual.
Shiloh giggled. “Bamboozled?”
Nico rolled his eyes. Why did he have to explain everything? “Yeah, you know, hoodwinked, scammed, flimflammed, outmaneuvered, conned, duped?—”
Levi cut him off. “We got it, Bugsy. How were you…hoodwinked?”
“I told you not to get him that word-of-the-day calendar,” Shiloh murmured to Levi.
Nico sighed. “His profile said he was hot, kinky, and looking for no-strings-attached. Hell, his profile pic was just his torso. Like, is that not the international fuckboi code? Right?”
Shiloh stared at him, wide-eyed. “Uh…right?” he echoed, sounding like he wasn’t at all sure that was right.
Nico’s gaze stuttered to Mal, who continued to study him with those wide feline eyes. He licked his lower lip, resisting the urge to fix his uncomfortably rumpled shirt. His outfit alone should have been an indicator to Ben—Brian?—that he was there for one thing only. He was wearing sweatpants for fuck’s sake. Who wore sweatpants when they were trying to make a meaningful connection? Nobody.
“This guy had more strings than a puppet,” Nico huffed, flopping onto the couch, startling the kittens. Mochi stretched lazily from her perch on the couch’s back, batting at Nico’s hair as he sank against Mal’s side. Mal smirked, running a hand overthe kitten’s soft fur while Nico grumbled under his breath about his bad luck with hookups.
He sighed, some of the tension leaving him as Mal’s arm came around his shoulders like it was a habit. Mal was wearing his baby pink sleeveless t-shirt, the one with the slit down both sides, revealing his tanned skin and a constellation of freckles in the shape of the Big Dipper.
It was one of Mal’s ‘safe’ shirts. He wore the same shirts on repeat due to his rather exacting specifications. Anything Mal wore had to be soft, loose, and tag-free. They couldn’t be scratchy or pill. They couldn’t pull or dig.
Nico often called him Princess afterThePrincess and the Peabecause even the slightest wrinkle in their sheets or fold in his sock was enough to ruin his best friend’s day. Some found it annoying, but Mal’s fussiness worked out flawlessly for Nico. Their sheets were always pristine and Mal’s shirts were always soft beneath his cheek when they cuddled.
“How?” Levi asked.
How what? Oh, right. His disastrous non-hook-up.
Nico folded his arms over his chest. “Well, first, he started interrogating me.”
Shiloh gave him those wide Bambi eyes. “Interrogating you? How?”
Nico rolled his own eyes as he shook his head. “Are you from here? Do you live nearby? Do you still live with your parents? What are you studying in school? Are you hungry? Should we grab dinner? Are you okay like this?”
“What an asshole,” Levi deadpanned, earning another giggle from Shiloh.
“Right?” Nico said. “During a hookup, the only questions I want to hear are, ‘Top or bottom?’ and ‘What is your safe word?’ How is that so difficult?”
“Maybe you should give upGrindrforFetLife,” Levi said. “‘Cause you’re kind of a douchebag to these hook-ups and you come home just as horny as when you left. Only now, you’re cranky, too.”
“Of course, I’m cranky,” Nico snapped. “I haven’t gotten laid in forever…and I’m hungry,” he added begrudgingly.
Mal shot to his feet so abruptly, Nico face-planted into the empty space. “Hey,” he cried, glowering at the taller boy’s back.
“Do you want to eat or not?” Mal asked, pulling out the leftovers from their friend-date to the Korean barbecue the night before.
“Yes, please,” he said meekly, letting himself admire how soft and rumpled Mal looked in his joggers and tank top, his light brown hair puffy from air-drying after his shower. Mal was obsessed with Nico’s ass, couldn’t seem to get enough of it. But Nico didn’t spend nearly as much time admiring Mal’s ass as it deserved. Even in joggers, the curve was prominent, the muscles flexing with each motion.
Why would Nico date some loser when he had Mal as his best friend? He cooked for him, cuddled him, always let him pick the documentary or anime they watched, took him out to dinner and paid more often than not, despite Nico’s protests.
If Nico was the type to do relationships, Mal would be it for him. Except for the sex thing. Nico didn’t think Mal would be down for his level of kink. He was so sweet to Nico, so attentive. Practically falling all over himself to make Nico happy.
According to their friends, he was also wildly possessive of Nico. He didn’t see it. Sure, he was protective. That wasn’t a secret. And sure, Nico used that to his advantage. But he didn’t think Mal was any more possessive with him than anyone else. They didn’t see how sweet and loving Mal was. Their friends claimed Nico was crazy. That anyone as violent and sadistic as Mal was during kills would never be docile in bed.
But they didn’t know Mal like he did.
“So, did you at least get off before you left?” Levi asked, nuzzling his nose against his boyfriend’s neck, clearly rubbing it in that he could get laid any time he wanted.
“No. I just couldn’t get into it,” Nico muttered. “I just wanted to come home and watch that capybara documentary Mal and I started.”
