Out Of The Woods (mxm)

Chapter Twenty Two.

Tyler looked across the office to Nico, as he had grown used to. Once he didn't have anything else to do or when he was taking a little break between papers, he looked at Nico frowning at his computer, calling his co-workers, just doing the amazing job he did as a boss.

He dreamily sighed and could feel his gaze softening. Nico looked at him raising an eyebrow and Tyler smiled softly at him.

"I love looking at you." He admitted.

With every day that passed, every smile, every kiss, every night between the sheets, Tyler lost even more of his shyness and got bolder and bolder.

He was safe with Nico. He could be the most honest version of himself, he realized. He could be bold and reckless, because it was Nico, and just Nico.

"I can tell." Nico said, trying to keep a smile from his lips but failing.

Tyler wanted to believe Nico was the most honest version of himself with him too. He was pretty sure he was.

"Yeah?"

"I feel your eyes on me for hours every day, sweetheart."

Tyler looked away and blushed, the smile still on his lips.

"I love you watching me, though."

Tyler blushed even more and hated his own skin for it. But if Nico put it like that, well, then he'd look at him for the rest of his life. He had no problem doing so.

After some hours, Nico finally looked up from his papers again.

"Tyler?"

"Mhm?" Tyler mumbled, coming out of his daydream.

"Can you go get us lunch please?"

Tyler nodded and stood up. "Yeah."

"Thanks, baby."

Tyler looked away and smiled at the nickname.

"Be right back." He said and got out.

It was routine, going for their lunch. He didn't even ask for Nico's order, knowing that today, Monday, he would want to eat the sandwich that they made down the street.

Nico didn't have a schedule for his meals, but he kind of did. Tyler assumed it was because his necessity of controling everything and not being suprised by anything, which Tyler assumed came from his trauma.

Tyler's assumptions were always about right when it came to Nico. It was weird to think that, though. It was weird to know that he knew Nico. Really knew him. Probably more than anyone. After all, Nico had trusted Tyler with the secret of his past, something he'd never told anyone. Hell, Nico had admitted before Tyler he was not okay. He remembered Eddie's concern, and Eddie sort of giving up on trying to learn what was wrong with his best friend after years of trying to help him in the matter.

And Nico had told him. Tyler, the foolish, daydreamer, shy, heartbroken Tyler. That meant something.

That meant something.

He sighed as he arrived to the restaurant for the food. And then sighed again when he saw Gabriel was there. Gabriel was everywhere. He considered leaving but then thought of Nico waiting in the office, hungry, and walked towards thw counter.

Gabriel noticed him instantly, of course.

It's not that Tyler didn't like him, it was that he was an intimidating man that seemed to take advantage of the situation every time-

"Hello there, cutie."

- nevermind. Tyler didn't like him. Every time he tried to convince himself he didn't dislike his boyfriend's friend, the fucker went and reminded him why he really, really disliked him.