The Heroes

Protection

Ni-Ki slouched on the couch, his expression mirroring his boredom. With nothing much to do, he let out a sigh, drumming his fingers on his knee as he glanced around the room. The day seemed to stretch on endlessly, and he longed for some excitement or entertainment to break the monotony.

Ni-Ki strolled into the garden, the sight of Jay tending to the plants catching his attention. The sunlight played on Jay's skin, accentuating the curves of his muscles as he skillfully tended to the flowers and plants. Ni-Ki leaned casually against the doorframe, a playful smirk dancing on his lips.

"What are you doing?" Ni-Ki asked, . He watched Jay's focused expression as he continued to work, finding himself captivated by the sight. There was something oddly satisfying and alluring about seeing Jay immersed in such a mundane task.

Jay looked up, a hint of amusement in his eyes as he caught Ni-Ki's playful gaze. "Someone's got to make this garden look beautiful," he replied, a twinkle in his eyes.

Ni-Ki scoffed softly, putting his hand to protect his eyes from the sun.. "what are you a grandpa?," he said, raising an eyebrow.

Jay chuckled, setting down the gardening tools for a moment. He walked over to Ni-Ki, the sun adding a warm glow to his features. "Maybe I am," Jay replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I'm bored," Ni-Ki said, shaking his head. But there was a fondness in his voice that he couldn't hide.

Jay grinned, reaching out to ruffle Ni-Ki's hair playfully. "You can watch" he offered.

Ni-Ki rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress the smile that tugged at his lips.

Ni-Ki huffed, not entirely convinced. "Fine, but only because I have nothing better to do," he said with a playful smirk.

Jay chuckled, pleased with his victory in persuading Ni-Ki to stay. "Great! You can be my garden assistant for the day," Jay said, handing Ni-Ki a small gardening tool.

Ni-Ki raised an eyebrow, taking the tool from Jay's outstretched hand. "Assistant? I prefer the term 'supervisor.' I'll make sure you don't mess up," he said, pretending to be serious.

Jay laughed, amused by Ni-Ki's teasing. "Alright, 'supervisor.' Let's see if you have what it takes to supervise this green-thumb expert," Jay teased back.

Ni-Ki couldn't help but be impressed as he crouched beside Jay, watching the man effortlessly pull a big plant from the ground. Jay's muscles flexed with each movement, and Ni-Ki found himself captivated by the display of strength and skill.

"Wow, you're really good at this," Ni-Ki said, genuinely amazed by Jay's gardening prowess.

Jay smiled, a hint of pride in his eyes. "Years of practice, I guess," he replied, modestly brushing off the compliment.

Ni-Ki nodded, a newfound appreciation for gardening blooming within him. "It looks like hard work," he said, now genuinely interested in learning more about the process.

"It can be, but it's also quite rewarding," Jay explained, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "There's something special about seeing plants grow and flourish under your care."

As they continued to work together, Jay patiently showed Ni-Ki various gardening techniques, from planting seeds to trimming leaves. Ni-Ki listened attentively, absorbing every bit of knowledge that Jay shared with him.

With each passing moment, Ni-Ki found himself enjoying the experience more and more. He loved the feeling of the soil in his hands, the satisfaction of seeing a plant flourish after his care, and the shared camaraderie with Jay.