dtcpeter:
Peter was unaware of what damage he had left behind. He didnāt know how his actions had affected Niko in the long run, in all honesty he had seen himself as disposable. A high school fling he would soon forget about. There was not a person in that school that wasnāt interested in Niko - even the guys had begun to grow envious of his looks. Peter had gotten lucky, somehow Niko had wanted him. Somehow heād been that person that Niko wanted to kiss on the walk home. Luck had blessed him with the chance to be the person that spent practically every waking moment with the most beautiful man that had ever walked those halls. He had been his, entirely, without a shadow of a doubt there was no question about how he had belonged to Niko. He was often scared heād lose interest, that one day someone new would catch his eye and heād realize he could do better. And then Niko would look at him once more with those wide, adoring eyes and hold him as the two of them laughed at reruns of The Simpsons. He would have moved on, he could have moved on ā he could have had anyone heād ever wanted.Ā
He didnāt waste his time, already the taller man was firing the question, setting Peter in his place and forcing him to think of a way to word the truth without making things weird.Ā āI had to get away āā He couldnāt look at him at this point, he was too busy peeling back stickers from a bottle of water that had been sitting in front of him and looking for a distraction.Ā āwasnāt happy. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became to me that this was the only place I really was. That and ā I managed to book a role in one of the broadway shows.ā
All through high school Niko had become a master at deflecting peopleās advances without making it seem suspicious. None of their friends knew about what he and Peter were doing behind their backs, or if they did they kept it to themselves. Their relationship was something that was just between the two of them, like their own dirty secret, but he guessed thatās inevitably what ended it. When Peter was told he and his family were moving he couldnāt exactly drop the bomb that he liked boys, too, and part of Niko wasnāt surprised that he wasnāt asked to go with him. But there was a part of him that had hoped that Peter would do it anyway. He knows that he would have for him.
Niko wanted to look down at his hands, back at the counter, anything that meant that he didnāt need to look the other man in the eye. But he kept his resolve and managed not to tear himself away as he awaited a reply from him. He noticed that Peter wouldnāt look at him in return, and the thought made his stomach turn. When he finally spoke it was almost like the words echoed through Nikos mind, hoping to finally get some sort of closure to the past between the two of them. However his admittance only made things more confusing for him.Ā āWell, good job. You deserve it,ā Niko nodded, knowing how big that must be for him. While there was a certain path he knew Peterās parents wanted for him, he also knew it wasnāt the one heād wanted for himself.Ā āDid you come alone?ā
