The Agreement •MXM• (Book 1)

The agreement

Cyrus

I walk out of my room at around midnight after a four hour study session. I was completely thrown off schedule by that jerk and his spare son. Now I'm behind,I don't have content to work with from my lecture.
I walk out with a stretch and yawn and head straight to the kitchen ignoring the fact that the lights are still on. He's still in the sitting room,on the couch watching a cooking show. A COOKING SHOW. He's staying up this late to watch not a drama,not a film but a flashy cooking show with judges and all.
I scoff and get my glass of water and get ready to head to bed. I guess the nighttime snacks can wait-
"Cyrus."his low voice sends shivers through,each and every time. Especially,when I don't know it's coming,that's when it hits me good. I make a noncommittal sound inching closer to my bedroom door,readying myself for an escape. An epic one,with door slamming, "We need to talk."Those words hang between us for a second. I contemplate even though the answer is the same through and through,
"I'm tried right now."And I will be every time he asks to 'talk'. Who in the world believes that we're just going to talk. Who knows what he's going to do? Lecture me? Belittle me? Tell me I'm a country bumpkin just like his dad? I don't wait to find out and make for my room,
"I know you've been studying for four hours,I waited up for you so we can talk."he sucks in a breath and turns his face to me. Air gets caught in my lungs when I see this version of him,his hair down and fluffy because it looks like he just took a shower. A fitted white shirt and black shorts. SHORTS. His hairy man legs out for display,like some sort of uncultured harlot. I think that to myself so WHY? Why do I feel attracted to him in this moment. I try to slap myself out of it,one side of me yelling 'HE'S IN SOCKS AND SANDALS,MAN SPREADING WHILE WATCHING A CORNY SHOW!!'
And the other side of me is all like 'look at how his arms can spread over almost the whole couch' completely forgetting about his fuzzy animal sandals. (Are they seals?)
"But,I can't move anything around moving foward. I'll be busy for a long time,with the whole fashion launch and planning for our wedding ceremony. So we have to talk to day."A pause and he frowns at how hesitant I look,"Please,we just signed the papers for legally binding us to each other,if not for anything else do it for that. Just this once Cyrus."
"That's a lot of onces Aaron. Aren't you scared you'll use them all up in one day?"I teased and in defeat I sit down as far as I can get from him. I don't need the scent of his shower gel invading my nostrils,
"Maybe I am. But I still have favors I can ask for right?"He looks up at me,resting his arms on his knees his raven hair falling infront of his face. Front seats to see Aaron Brown's birth marks,one right below his eye and the other of the side of his chin.
"On what grounds are you asking me for them?"
"As your newly wed husband."I don't have a single thing to say to him about that. What do I say now? I can't say we aren't yet because we are now. I don't answer him,"I was just thinking,maybe we could have a little agreement of sorts."he pulls out the laptop that I didn't even realise was beside him. Ha puts on glasses I didn't know he even wore on,
"What sort of agreement?"I ask,suspicious of his intentions. Taking the laptop up off the couch he walks to me,
"I'll tell you,so scouch."he doesn't even wait for me to move he just sit down next to me and his computer screen has the words. Consent contract.
"Why would we need something like this?"I ask and his face instantly gets serious as he rests his back into his grey couch. With a deep breath he changes the air of our conversation,
"I don't want much from you or this marriage. I'm sure you have the same feelings. But we have to have a way we can work around each other. An agreement that entails what we can and cannot do in this marriage."he explains and I stare at him in thought,
"So like rules?"
"Exactly."he scrolls down and empty templates with the names clause one and two and so in appear. I smile,
"This is what you've been working on for four hours?"he looks at me the points to the paused cooking show he was watching,
"That too."such a dork,"Moving on our first rule is chore distribution."
"Like the dishes?"
"Yeah,I cook breakfast and dinner you lunch. You don't have to worry about that too much I won't be back for it."I nod and he faces the screen again,
"Does that mean you think I'm bad at cooking?"he ignores me,
"You're person A I'm person B."he says writing out the first rule in business language. Obviously being careful not to add anything other than what we agreed on. "Second rule,no one is allowed in the other person's bedroom."
"Okay."I write this one myself,fingers clicking against the keyboard of his mac book pro, "Third rule,the other person is not allowed to ask stupid questions." I wait for him to agree but he doesn't,hesitation on his expression.
"... what defines a stupid question?"
"One that gets too much in the other person's business,or is unnecessary."he nods after a second and writes it himself,
"Number four,you can't appear in public without your wedding ring."
"Does it matter that much?"I groan,and he looks at me with the answer,"What if I don't want to?"
"If you refuse one of my suggested rules we have to remove one of yours."He counters and I scowl at him,
"Fine! I'll wear it starting tomorrow."He seems satisfied with my answer and gives a proud smile,
"We have to act like a couple in public."I consider it for a second,
"Sure but no to unnecessary touching."
"Fine by me."
We sit in silence. Uncomfortable silence,because he decided he wants to stare at me like owe him money. "Number five,I handle all financial responsibilities."
"No way."
"Mr Brown said we should do that until you finally accept the shares you have of the company."he says it like he's bored,and I hate it.
"I don't want those shares."I state crossing my arms over my chest,
"Why do you do this?"
"Do what?"
"Act like you hate Mr Brown. Do all these strange things in some petty effort to get back at him like a child?"his words sting,a reminder that we live in two completely different worlds. Ones where I'll never understand him and he'll never understand me.
"Stupid question. You violated rule three."I say,
"Thanks for the demonstration of what a stupid question is."
"Your welcome,I'm going to bed now."
"Okay... but we have to continue writing this later."
"Fine by me. What's the punishment for violations?"I ask half way to my door,
"A box of donuts."
"Cool,you owe me then?"I don't wait for his answer escaping to the only safe space I have a right to.

  ____________

I wake up in the morning to find a quiet house. He's already gone.
I admire this place every time I step into the sitting room. It's such an upgrade from my old place. My old place was the size of my thumb,I had a loud roommate who was an alcoholic. Old pipes that would flood the place from time to time,a noisy neighbourhood too. So every time I see his pristine counter and floors... its a different feeling.
Like I'm not supposed to be here in the first place. I don't know if I will ever get over that. I don't know if I should even hope- with the way he always wants his place to be clean like this. I'm super messy,I'm sure if he saw my room right how he'd throw up. Now what's for breakfast... BINGO.
The counter has a box of a dozen donuts sitting there. I'm ready to eat it when I see the yellow note on the top,'for my violation last night. Sorry for making you moody button'. He wrote that button with malice but I don't care I'm just concerned with the delicious assortment of treats in this box. I hold it like a cave man who hasn't eaten in days and take a bite of the most delicious chocolate donut ever.
My phone chirps when I'm in the middle of eating this blessing to my mortal being.
Aaron: don't you dare eat a dozen donuts for breakfast. That's something much healthier in the fridge.
Instantly I'm on my feet I grab the biggest plate I can find and out every remaining donut on it and leave the box empty. I even make sure to put some crumbs around it for effects I take a picture and send the empty box to him.
Aaron:You glutton. You know that's not good for you.
Me: rule number six,don't comment on my dietary preferences.
Aaron:We live together,so that's absolutely ridiculous. I'm not going to be sitting at a table and watch in silence as you give yourself diabetes.
Me:if you refuse,then we have to get rid of your financial responsibilities nonsense,
Aaron:Hmmm,alright I'll try not to comment on your unhealthy decisions. Don't complain when you have stomach ache,button.
I frown at my screen because that was supposed to be my trap,and he didn't fall for it.
Me:Don't worry I won't burden you honey.
Aaron:Never call me that again.
After that text he goes offline. He must have work,I think to myself. Only then do I realise I was smiling the entire time. Why was I smiling? Do I need medical attention? I think I do. I open the fridge to find his 'healthier' option. I find a lunch box packed to the brim with food. Who makes a sandwich that big? And an omelette? And bacon rolls with rice in the middle?
Two options. Either this food is poisoned or- he wants to me to choke to death? But a little much smaller voice in my head tells me he just cooked all this food for no other reason than me eating it. That thought scares me. Because grandmama always says that if someone is willing to make you a meal there no way their a bad person. A man in an apron can't be A con.
I don't want to think about the possibility that Aaron isn't actually a bad person so I hurriedly close the box and place it in my bag and get ready for the day.