The Waters - A Beta Squad Story (bxb)

22. You Need Help

(TW - emetophobia)

Aj let out a whine as he stretched, struggling to open his eyes against the light coming through the window. Neither of them had closed the curtains the night before.

"Mm," he mumbled, feeling the weight of the blanket on his body. He turned his head, searching for the warmth that had been there beside him. But there was only cool air. His heart skipped a beat as he registered the empty space beside him.

Niko. He hadn't expected him to be gone. The realisation of what had happened sank in, and a lump formed in his throat. He sat up, the sheets pooling around his waist, and looked around the room. There was no note, no text, no clothes from yesterday, and no sign that Niko had ever been there. It was as if he'd imagined the whole thing.

He started to think maybe he had imagined it all, that maybe he had reached the highest level of insanity. That was until he tried to stand up, dull pain shooting up his back.

Aj glanced around the room, feeling a mixture of anger and despair. The ache in his heart was unbearable as he remembered the comfort and warmth that had been shared between them. It was as if a part of him had been ripped away, leaving him hollow and empty.

He felt the side of the bed Niko was last lying on; it was cold to the touch. He hadn't been there for a while. Aj wondered if maybe he had gone downstairs, so before he left to investigate, he went for a shower in his own room.

As the warm water cascaded down his body, he tried to forget the ache he felt inside. For the second time, he stood in the shower, scrubbing at his skin, hoping to forget about Niko.

He kept scrubbing until the skin on his arms, legs, and chest was raw and painful to touch.

He stepped out of the shower and dried himself off, wrapping the towel around his body. He walked back into his bedroom and got dressed.

Aj struggled to walk down the stairs; embarrassment flooded his body after each limp.

The house was as silent as he expected it to be. The only sound was the ticking of a clock on the wall. He hesitated for a moment before he finally stepped into the kitchen. Chunkz was at the kitchen island; his head rested on his arms, assuming he was asleep.

"Chunkz?" Aj asked softly, not wanting to startle him. There was no response. "Chunkz?" He repeated, gently nudging the older man's shoulder. Chunkz stirred, lifting his head and blinking blearily at Aj. "Have you seen Niko this morning?" the smaller man muttered, his voice thick.

"Uh, no, he wasn't here when I got up," Chunkz replied, still sounding half asleep. "Why? Is everything okay?"

Aj shook his head, feeling a fresh wave of sadness wash over him. "No, Chunkz, everything's not okay." He sighed, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. "I... I think Niko left last night."

"Right..." Chunkz questioned Aj, awaiting an explanation. It wasn't uncommon for the boys to spend a night or two at a friend's or family member's house.

Aj didn't answer immediately. He just stood there, hands trembling, feeling the weight of Niko's absence in his chest. He couldn't believe it.

Aj once again felt a wave of nausea wash over him. His body ran cold, and the trembling had taken over his whole frame. He held on to the counter to help with his spinning head. Chunkz's concerned voice was muffled in Aj's ears as he made his way over to the sink.

He splashed water on his face, trying to steady himself, but it was no use. He couldn't stop thinking about the way Niko and he had sex the night before and how Niko left without saying anything.