Fixing Nico [boyxboy / yaoi]

Ch 9 - Getting to know Others and getting to know Yourself

~NICO~ 

Andy’s slender arm was wrapped around my shoulders, and for once, I had no desire to shrug it off. I sagged under his friendly embrace as Chase’s car roared out of the driveway and sped into the distance, leaving me deprived of Christian once more as he departed to perform his duties as a “straight” teenage boy.

Here we go again, I thought, sighing inwardly as I ambled up to the front door and pushed it open.

Andy halted at the threshold - so suddenly that I stepped out of the comfort of his arm and kept walking forward absently, before realising he wasn’t there anymore. I glanced back, confused – he was hovering awkwardly in the doorway, his shoulders slumped under his black MCR shirt, hunching over and ducking his head so that his neon-green-and-black hair drooped in his face and concealed his eyes.

I blinked, realising that his posture beared an uncanny resemblance to… mine.

‘What’s wrong?’ 

‘Can I come in?’ Andy asked hesitantly.

I rolled my eyes. ‘No.’

Andy looked up with a half-amused and half-shocked expression. 

‘Of course you can come in,’ I scoffed. ‘Can’t you tell, I’m actually glad to see you. That’s a rare occurrence. Take it while you can.’

A small smile lifted Andy’s lips – which I noticed had been pierced through with two metal ball studs. ‘Nice snake bites,’ I commented.

‘Thanks.’

‘I thought you only had one lip ring?’ I squinted as I tried to recall my memories of last night.

‘I alternate,’ Andy explained.

‘Oh.’

I swallowed uncomfortably and Andy shifted on his feet, still standing at the doorway. 

‘Please come in,’ I begged after a minute of thick, hot silence. ‘This is so awkward. I usually don’t start conversations. This is really awkward! Andy!’

‘Nico!’ he laughed back. ‘I’m sorry, it’s just…’ Andy blinked, brightening so suddenly that he almost looked like another person – he’d straightened up, and now his big, black-rimmed hazel eyes were trained on me. ‘Never mind,’ he sang as he waltzed through the door.

I blinked. ‘Are you bipolar?’ I wondered aloud before I could stop myself. 

Andy only shrugged. ‘I’m all kinds of crazy.’

‘Same here,’ I muttered.

‘I noticed.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ I demanded, mildly offended. 

‘No – nothing bad!’ Andy protested. ‘It just means that you’re awesome.’

I shot him a dubious look. ‘… Awesome?’

‘Yes. Only crazy people are awesome.’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘Insanity is just society punishing those who are different,’ Andy explained with an easy shrug. ‘And treatments just try to normalise people. If you don’t meet the ideals, you’re crazy.’

I stared up at Andy, a slow grin forming on my face to mirror his. ‘So, are we insane because we’re awesome or awesome because we’re insane?’

Andy’s skinny shoulders bounced up and down. ‘Both?’ he suggested easily as he tugged at his black and gold suspenders. ‘Anyway, I stopped at the door because… I dunno. I thought you wouldn’t like me coming, you know? But I just wanted to see if you’re alright… I mean, I’m not stalking you, I swear, I just, well… Are you alright?’