Unbreak My Heart (18+, ManxMan)

Chapter 17 Everything I do...I do it for you

Chapter 17

 Finn

"This place is great!"  We had hiked up to the observatory at Griffith Park and were walking around checking the views from each side.  I had already taken hundreds of pictures all over the expansive green space and was snapping more as we walked around the observatory.

"This is where they filmed 'Rebel Without A Cause'," Nico said.  I have to admit, I looked at him blankly.  He chuckled, "James Dean?"

Nuh, uh.  I shook my head.

"We'll rent it.  But one of the iconic scenes was from over here."  I followed Nico and he led me to a large statue of James Dean.

"Yeah, I'd like to see it."  I snapped a few of the statue and then walked to the ledge and took in the view of overlooking the city.  "Let me get some of you Nico, with this backdrop."  He blushed, so I rolled my eyes and pushed him over to the spot I wanted him.  "Come on, let me get that pretty face with this background."

"Pretty face?" he grumbled, classic Nico coming back.  "This face is classic soave."

I stopped myself from laughing so I wouldn't shake the camera.  After I'd taken a few a woman nearby asked if we wanted her to take some of the both of us.  We both said, "Sure!" at the same time and laughed as I handed her the camera.  We leaned against the high ledge and she called, "closer."  Nico wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I leaned into his side.  Even though I had grown several inches, amazingly, we still seemed to fit together like…like we were made for each other.  Too sappy?  Maybe, but the smiles on our faces didn't care.

We spent several hours exploring different parts of the immense park, but still only saw a fraction of it.  "We'll have to come back.  Maybe bring bikes or something," I suggested.

When we finally left we were both starving and found a nice little Italian restaurant that Nico knew.  The small, family-like atmosphere was warm and inviting, the kind of place that you were immediately accepted as family, and they even still remembered Nico from when he used to go once in a while when he was living in L.A. several years ago.  I had chicken penne and Nico had braised beef ravioli with asiago cheese.  We traded bites and I decided that next time we came, I was going to have the ravioli.

"It's still early," I said as we exited the restaurant after a hearty meal.  "Do you want to watch a movie or something?  Do you still have the huge selection on Serenity?  I think we're closer to the marina than the apartment."

"I'd like that and I do, or we can just download something more current."  I followed Nico to his car and hopped in the passenger seat.  I thought about our kiss last night as we drove the short ride to the marina and whether or not I wanted to have another one tonight…or more.  My palms felt a little sweaty at the thought, but I was thinking that they were more nerves of anticipation.  Yeah…I wanted this.

Nico had texted his crew before we left the restaurant, so they were waiting for us at the dock with the speed boat.  We hopped aboard and Nico directed me to sit in the chair I always think of as 'his' and he stood behind me, bracing himself on the back of the seat.  In a matter of minutes we were climbing aboard Serenity and laughing about something silly that the waiter said at the restaurant.

Up on the top level I followed Nico to his private quarters and my heart started to beat a little fast at the prospect of walking through those doors again.  Nico might have been having the same feelings because he hesitated, holding the key in the lock for several seconds.

"You okay Nico…if you don't feel comfortable, we don't have to…"

"No…it's just.  Well, you'll see for yourself."  Nico opened the door and stood aside, letting me go in first.  The furniture hadn't changed much, maybe a few items replaced, but it was the other décor that struck me.  More of my paintings filled the walls and as I walked further in I noticed framed photos - the pictures we had taken with the camera he had bought me that I never found.  Some were just of me and some were of the two of us.  My paintings and photos were also in his office and den…I didn't dare go look in the bedroom.