Secrets and Things (MxM)

Chapter 88 - Is he trying to torment me?

Notes:

- AND FINALLY, WE'RE ON THE FINAL STRETCH FOR NERO AND LEO'S STORY. Banzai! Who would've thought we made it. And in SO MANY BLOODY WORDS.

- It was actually meant to be longer (there was going to be a Leo mum's arc) but that was before I realised I have written too many words and Wattpad has a chapter cap. So that isn't going to be there. So that chapter addressing Leo's mum now just kind of serves as a character development backstory shenanigans

- We're going to stick with this couple till their "end" so you won't see Aiden nor Erwin's POV for a while (yes I know, what a tragedy) but they'll be making significant cameos do not worry.

- I reiterate once again. Plan before you write. Or this clusterfuck of words happen

- I apparently still accidentally switch between tenses so sorry. Again. I don't think I'll ever grow out of it, to be honest.

- Lol idk when the next chapter is gonna be -> I'm procrastinating right now, hence why this chapter exists.

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POV: Third person

While Aiden was going through some depressing shit with his inability to cope with his feels, Nero wasn't doing any better himself honestly. He was initially when he and Leo became good mates and he was doing great when the friendship continued to persist and deepen further after that one D&M (deep and meaningful) session.

He had it all under control. Nero liked Leo in a more-than-a-crush way but accepted that it could never happen because he had too much baggage that he needs to carry throughout his life. Even after unloading some of that luggage onto his friend, there was still too much to carry out any sort of relationship.

Also, Nero had the self-esteem of a rock. Non-existent, and genuinely believed that Leo didn't like him in the romantic sense. He justified the couple of times they nearly kissed as Leo merely being attracted to his physical appearance (for some odd reason) and wanted to have fun a bit.

Nero is not that kind of guy and very much rather have a stable relationship with romantic interest at play. When Nero expressed all these thoughts and opinions over the phone, Aiden simply called him a dense dumbass and proceeded to cut the call then and there.

It was extremely uncalled for.

Enough about how much control Nero had over his life at one point. Now let's delve deeper into how not in control he is over his life.

It was an average workday where he was just working. Like Aiden, he was on break with the disgusting couple that he helped get together. The trio were talking and getting along as per usual in the café located on the ground floor, but ever since Mason and Pearl got together, there's the addition of PDA that Nero gagged. Now there's nothing wrong with PDA per se. In fact, Nero probably had a closeted love for PDA that he had always been in denial about. The issue was that when it was right in front of him and right next to him, he couldn't take it and felt every inch of his body cringe and squirm.

Mason and Pearl definitely noticed this and amped it up even more because apparently, they found it extremely amusing watching Nero go through different stages of discomfort.

Sadistic bastards.

But once again, this isn't about them. This is about Nero and how fucked he was.

As they were chatting away and complaining about the sudden increase in workload, Leo unexpectedly walked into the café. Nero says this was unexpected because he was on a brief call (call of friendship) with him the night before and the CEO mentioned that he was going to go on a business trip the next day.