Good Intentions

9

The last time Leo had been in such a nice car was prom night back in high school: he and a bunch of his friends rented a limo for the night and split the rent fee six ways, but Nick's car cannot be compared to a mere limo. It was a sleek, shiny, ebony-colored car with an even darker interior. He had never seen such a car, so he assumed that it was the sort of car that he would never be able to afford no matter how hard he worked.

"It's an Aston Martin Vulcan. It was a gift from my dad," Nick said as if reading his mind. "Hopefully it isn't too flashy for your taste."

"Considering I used to only eat ramen and lived in a one-bedroom micro-apartment, it's pretty flashy."

Nick's eyebrows furrowed but his gaze didn't stray from the road ahead of him. "I can tone it down for you if you want-"

"That won't be necessary," Leo said. It wasn't that he hated how extravagant Nick's life seemed to be. In fact, he quite enjoyed the luxuries that came with being his mate. He just felt bad because it made him feel like a parasite. "You shouldn't change things about yourself just to appease me or anyone else. It can be a bad habit that will lead to your downfall."

"You're wise."

"Not wise, only stating facts."

The rest of the car ride passed in silence. Every now and then, Nick would look over to Leo as if worried he would disappear if he didn't keep an eye on him. Although his eyes were no stranger to the sights of Japan, the country was alarmingly stunning at night. He adored the lights and the soft hum of music playing somewhere in the distance. He often sat next to the window in his apartment back in Akihabara just to watch the glowing lights of the building circling him. They say the night is meant for partying, but there isn't a moment more serene when it feels like it's only him, the window, and the moon. He preferred the night to the day, just for that small sliver of a moment to soak all of it.

"We're here," Nick declared as he gradually came to a stop in front of what appeared to be the poshest and most expensive building on the block. There was a line that stretched across half of the building, where people dressed nicely in dark-toned clothing stood and waited. At the front, a man which Leo assumed to be the bouncer checked the cards that some of the club-goers had. He watched as he shook his head at one man when he failed to produce some sort of ID.

Leo was too distracted and didn't notice that Nick had opened his side of the car until Nick gently patted his shoulder and gestured towards the entrance of the club with his chin.

When Leo didn't ascend from his seat right away, Nick gently took his hand in his and guided him out of the car and directly towards the club's entrance instead of the lineup. The other club-goers stared at the pair with envy and awe. They all knew who Nick was, but they were wondering who the new face next to him was. Leo was already feeling insecure and wanted nothing more than to shy away from the judging looks. Nick seemed to sense this because he looked down at Leo's shorter frame and pulled him closer to his side.

The bouncer just nodded his head in acknowledgment to Nick as the two entered the club. Immediately they were surrounded by the heavy bass of the music and the sour smell of alcohol and cigars. The walls of the club that seemed to stretch on forever were matte black and accented with gold trimming. There was a spacious bar against one wall where bartenders zipped along the bar for drinks and served customers sitting on stools that Leo knew had to be more expensive than his monthly income. To the sides of the bar and in front of it, tables and red, velvet love seats and armchairs were spread around. Couples were either chatting into one another's ear or making out, but the dance floor was even worse. Bodies were pressed against one another and grinding to the beat of the music remixes, but somehow it didn't look lewd at all. Maybe it was because many of these people were also rich and were able to go into the club without having to go through the line just to have the slimmest chance of going in. The women were wearing short dresses that flashed and shimmered when the strobe lights hit them, and the men were dressed similarly to what Nick was wearing. Leo felt underdressed now.