Cigarette under moonlight (bxb)

15

There's a loud knock on the door, it's really loud cause I'm in my bedroom upstairs and I can still hear it. I jolt up, not one minute of peace, I think to myself. It's 2:34 AM, something about this time makes me feel uneasy. My parents have gone out to our relative's house so it's s just me and Dev. I make my way to Dev's room and before I can knock he opens his door, looking alarmed, I tell him someone's knocking at the door, and he looks at me and says that he is not deaf.

"Is that", I point at his clothes, "my shirt?". He looks away shyly while I cringe. A few weeks back I got Dev to read Harry Potter because he was being such a muggle. Now he is charmed by it and won't stop talking about how Sirius and Remus are so in love, I mean we all know that bro.

Dev tells me to stay here and I approve because what if a serial killer is down there, I don't want to die young. Not saying that Dev should die. Well, I hope you understand what I mean, it's just that my life matters more. Now that makes me sound like a terrible person. I wait near the stairs, I hear Dev opening the door,

"What are you doing here?" I hear him say to the individual at the other end but, I don't hear any reply. I make my way downstairs, and near the door, I see Nick hugging Dev, his face is buried in Dev's chest and, he is holding him as if his life depends on him. I give Dev a look and he shrugs and continues to pat Nick's back.

"Nick", I whisper and he finally leaves Dev and looks at me. His whole face is red, his eyes are swollen, and his lips are trembling. He takes one step toward me and I wrap my arms around him. We stand like that for a few minutes, when he stops shivering I tell him to go upstairs while I get something to eat. Nick is usually very lighthearted and sweet but he keeps everything bottled up, he suppresses his emotions until they all explode. It is harmful to his health, I get that it's overwhelming but I wish he began. I ask him what he wants to eat.

" I would like some ice cream.", We are out of that, but I can't say that.

"Sure, you go and I'll bring you some- yeah yeah more not some, seriously that's not even the correct sentence."

Nick stares at me, "I'm allowed to say anything I want, I'm depressed now."

I tell dev that we don't have ice cream and surprisingly he doesn't argue with me about going out at 3 in the morning. I make my way upstairs into my room, Kanishk is sitting on the floor and I join him. He drops his head on my lap and starts to speak while I stroke his hair.

He tells me about his parent's constant fighting, they shout at each other sometimes things get physical and when he tries to intervene they scream at him. He thinks that they might get a divorce and that is making him anxious. He doesn't wanna lose any more people. He tells me about his problem at college, his marks are lowering, and he is scared to lose me, I don't say anything in between and let him speak. When his parents aren't fighting they talk about him, what he wants to do after college, and which company he thinks would take him, they ask him constantly and-,

"I don't know Aarav! I don't know what I'm going to do, that scares me a lot but I have no clue about it.", He looks at me hoping that I'd have answers to his questions, but I don't.

"Nicky, first of all, I will never leave you okay? I mean it. And now coming to your parents" I try to choose the right words, I need to be considerate here, "they fight but eventually they make up too, they won't get a divorce for sure. They have been married for what, hundred years now? You don't have to worry about them, perhaps you should speak to them about this. I'm not saying right now, but if things aren't better you can address your concerns, and I bet you that they'll understand."

He doesn't look satisfied but he is nodding and smiles a little. He looks so exhausted so I tell him to sleep but he whines about Icecream. I tell him that once Dev is here ill wake him up, as soon as he lies in bed his shoulders soothe and his face looks like a baby's face. Man, he was really tired. Tomorrow is gonna be heavy, I know I didn't give him the best advice but in my defence, I'm still drowsy. Tomorrow we will have a proper talk and connect on a spiritual level, right now I want to go to my dreamland. As I'm about to go to bed I see Dev coming.

"Where were you?" I yawn, and he is blushing, am I becoming hot? Ew no, this is my brother. He is still furiously blushing so I do what an ideal person would do, I whack him in his head and he glares at me. Chills.

"Don't look at me like that, or like that- just don't look! Dev, I really what to sleep!", I hiss at him and then instantly pout, when I'm sleepy I get whiny.

"Soo" he stretches the 'o' for a minute and now I glare at him. "I saw Misa!"

My whole sleepy mood abruptly fades away. "Oh, my god! I can't believe that! How is she? Is she still as beautiful as ever? Can you tell her I miss her? Hold up, will you and Misa be together again?" I ask him so many things altogether that he looks confused about which one to answer first. Before he can speak I hear kanisnk.

"Queen Misa is back?", I look at him and his eyes are shining, actually shining.

"Yes!" Dev exclaims and punches the air happily, Misa was Dev's college girlfriend and the most sensible and amazing and coolest person ever. She was always nice to me. She was the epitome of sweetness. I can't say how amazing she was, words aren't enough.

"Wait, dev", Nick speaks seriously, " does this mean that you'll break up with me?"

Dev dramatically looks at Nick and sighs, "I'm afraid that's correct, but I will always love you, my love."

Nick fake cries and asks for one last kiss and Dev moves forward to give him one while I start to panic cause I'm not drunk to see this.