familiar? (𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕜 𝕤𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕝𝕠)

35

max keeps his head down, not wanting to look at nick. he takes a deep breath in before speaking.

"nick." he starts, "it's obvious that i really care about you. you're the coolest, and most caring person i know and i love that about you." he smiles, still not looking up at nick. nick smiles at their intertwined hands as he listens to max. "i don't think i could bare to lose you. i know we've only really known each other for 2 weeks. but it feels like i've known you for so much longer."

nick looks up at max, his smile dropping slightly.

"so when i remembered that we knew each other as kids, it kind of all made sense." max finally looks up to meet eyes with nick. his stomach drops when he sees the small frown on nicks face. but he pushes it away and keeps talking.
"i know that it's a lot to take in, and i know that me leaving hurt you. i know it hurt matt; i'm just as anxious to tell him." max chuckles.

"why are you nervous to tell matt?" nick asks confused.

"because we were best friends. when i wasn't hanging out with you, i was hanging with matt. we were extremely close and i know that me leaving would've caused some kind of wound." max explains, "at least, i think it would."

nick simply nods, not asking another question. max takes that as nicks way of telling him to continue.

"and i guess, the reason i made telling you such a big deal was because, for years after, i would wake up and you'd be the first thing id think of." nick looks up at max and smiles shyly, a small red tint on his cheeks.

"but that wasn't always because i missed you. i mean, i obviously did. i missed your brothers as well. but the reason i haven't seen my parents in 10 years is because of you. and it's not your fault, i'm not saying it is. but i would wonder, if i never met you, would my life be different? i guess what i'm trying to say is, it was a lot for me to realise that i'd met the guy who was the reason my life had changed so much. and that i was falling for him all over again."

nick looks at max, and he doesn't know what to think. he's in shock, thats for sure. but he feels this bittersweet kind of sting in his chest. after 10 years, the two boys who'd innocently fell for each other had reunited, and while it was something nick didn't know he needed, he can't help but feel sad almost.

what they had as kids, now that he remembers, is something that he didn't really know was real. it felt almost too perfect. and yet it was ruined, and they couldn't do anything about it. max lost all contact with his parents, he was forced away from his friends to a place he'd never been before. all because of who he loved.

"nick, are you alright?" max asks concerned.

"oh- yeah i'm fine. i'm just thinking over what you said." nick smiles reassuringly.

"are you ok?" max asks.

"yeah, i'm alright." nick smiles at max, rubbing his thumb over maxs knuckles.

"thank you." nick says softly.

"thank you? for what?" max chuckles confused.

"for being so open and honest with me. i'm sorry i lashed out before letting you fully explain yourself and everything. and i really care about you too, im glad we found each other again." nick smiled.

max felt his stomach fill with butterflies as nick looked at him. he looked back at nick, a loving look in his eyes. max felt his eyes drift down to nicks lips. something he usually did when nick would talk, but now, there was a different motive.