The Waters - A Beta Squad Story (bxb)

6. Consequences Cause Guilt

Aj's fingers were covered in a coat of blood. It didn't look too bad, yet it was still worrying to see.

"Shit, man!" he exclaimed, reaching out to grab his wrist. "How'd that happen?"
Aj looked away, trying to hide his pain. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
But Niko could tell it was serious. He glanced around, unsure of what to do. They were in the middle of the game, and they were supposed to keep playing. But he couldn't just leave Aj like this.

"Where are you bleeding?" Niko yelled in a whispered tone. The crease between his brows deepened.

Aj hesitated for a moment before pointing to his back, just below his shoulder blade. Niko glanced at it, then looked back at Aj, his expression unreadable. He couldn't believe this was happening.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath. He reached over and discreetly lifted the back of Aj's top. His suspicions were confirmed; Aj had hit his wound on the back of the chair during the shock. The wound that Niko caused.

"Fuck!" Niko cursed, feeling guilty. "We gotta get you out of here, man." He glanced around, noticing that the game was continuing, starting from the other side. The other boys were still oblivious to the situation.

Aj winced in pain as Niko pulled his shirt away from his back. "We can't just leave," he gasped. "They'll know." Niko knew the others would be upset to see the extent of his own anger. That didn't bother him all too much. What bothered him was knowing just how upset Aj would be if the others found out.

He also knew any interruptions to filming had to be urgent. So to keep it discrete, they had to carry on filming until halfway through, when they all had a break.

"Come on, man," Niko whispered, gently rubbing the rest of Aj's back to try and soothe the pain. "We'll just have to stick it out until the break. Then we can get you fixed up." Aj let out a shaky breath, his eyes darting around the room, trying to decide if anyone had noticed their distress.

The next question had already been asked, and the boys realised they had neither written an answer nor heard the question. They managed to get Filly to repeat the question, and they both wrote their answers down. After revealing their answers, it dawned on the two boys that Aj could be shocked again during the game.

"Maybe you should sit this one out, Aj," Niko suggested. "We can just say you felt dizzy or something. No need to make a big deal out of it." Aj hesitated for a moment, still wincing in pain. He knew Niko was right; it was for the best. But he hated the thought of letting the others down and knew they would suspect something.

The game continued, and Niko kept a close eye on Aj, making sure he didn't move too much. He could feel the other boy's gaze on him, but he didn't let it throw him off. The break finally arrived. Aj was about to stand up and leave the room, following the others, when he suddenly sat back down. Niko turned to him.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.
Aj glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention. "I just don't think I can leave yet," he said softly. Niko looked confused for a brief moment until it dawned on him that Aj was wearing a light top and had stained the back with blood.

Niko swiftly removed his own jumper, handing it over to his friend, unaware of the eyes staring him down. The eyes raked his body from his arms to the reveal of his stomach, where his shirt rode up in the process.

Aj coughed and muttered some form of thanks, pulling the jumper over his shoulders.

The other boys continued with their banter, jostling each other as they moved past them. Niko glanced at Aj, making sure he was covered up. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty, knowing that this was all his fault. He wished there was something more he could do to make it up to Aj.

Aj stood up from the chair, the hoodie reaching his mid-thighs. Niko looked down at him. He thought Aj looked cute in his hoodie, which was too big for him. He would never utter that word to him, though, knowing Aj would argue against him. It didn't stop him from continuing to think about it, though.

"What?" Aj looked up at Niko, his face flushed.

Niko blushed too, realising his thoughts had been obvious on his face. He cleared his throat, looking away. "Nothing, man."

They both looked to the ground, faces hot. Realising they were wasting their break time, they wandered off to find the furthest bathroom, both getting inside and locking it for extra measure.

The bathroom had a fair amount of space, with a single toilet and a countertop with two sinks. Behind the sinks was a wall almost completely covered by a large mirror.

"Sit," Niko pointed to the space between the two sinks.

Aj climbed up on the counter, turning around to sit with his legs crossed. He leaned his head against the cool mirror and sighed, his breath fogging up the glass. As he sat there, he realised just how exhausted he was feeling.

Niko turned to Aj, sensing his lack of energy to help out, and decided he could help the poor man, seeing it as the least he could do.

He walked up to the edge of the counter, lifting Aj's arms to remove the hoodie and top he was wearing.

Maybe it was due to the soft intimacy forced between the two in this moment, but Niko found himself admiring his friend in a state so vulnerable that he had not seen before. Glancing in the mirror, he saw how Aj sat hunched over with his eyes closed. Niko watched as his whole body moved slowly with each breath he took.

Niko felt a sudden urge to touch him to make sure he was really alright. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from Aj's face, and the contact made his heart race.

Aj's eyes fluttered open, meeting Niko's gaze through the reflective glass. He looked at the other boy, feeling a strange sensation in his chest.

"Thanks," he whispered, not quite sure what he was thanking him for. Niko smiled softly, feeling a warmth spread through his entire body. He moved his hand to Aj's back. The touch was gentle, but it sent a shiver down Aj's spine.

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Could it be? A new chapter?
Yess!
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-B🎧