The Agreement •MXM• (Book 1)

A secret admirers secrets

Aaron

I will,if he tries anything else.
That sentence has been replying in my head for hours ever since he said it. Like my head is broken or something.
This is a bad plan. Its really bad- we need to go back to the drawing board. Right now.
"Hey."Austin gets into the group call first,
"What's up?"Vic second. I groan and yell as much as this house allows,
"You demons."I say with my full chest and Austin is the only one who startles,I don't wait for them to ask,"How dare you put such an idea in my head."
"Did he not like the flowers or something."Austin is walking around his barn as he says this,
"Did he like the flowers? Why would you sens them to his while he was in class,Morgan?!"Victor starts laughing at this like its the best joke known to man,
"It was a nice gesture. And you told me to send them then."he shrugs chewing hard on whatever nuts have him hooked this time,
"I told you to send them. Not while he was in public and definitely not a hundred and one of them."V keeps laughing as we continue,
"Did he like the rest of the things?"
"Doesn't matter. He's already on the police base and moreover he's on to me."
"See? I told you this wouldn't work because he's such a bad liar."Victor laughs it out and I see him in his kitchen cooking something,
"He tried hacking my laptop- I mean he did hack it I just caught him before he opened my amazon search history."I was lucky he went to Google first. I wouldn't have heard him if he wasn't cackling like a maniac. I think they were supposed to be a little more silent but I guess he was too excited.
"Oh,he's good."Austin sighs,
"That's why we need a new plan."I say shutting the washing machine that's full of clothes Cyrus told me not to wash but I will anyway because I can't help it.
"Not necessarily,we just need to revise the old one to fit the circumstances."Victor supplies putting the phone on his counter so we see him making lasagna for dinner that means Parvati,his daughter is home. And definitely demanded her favourite food,
"Yeah... point out how mysterious you are but like mysteriously."
"Austin stop speaking in tongues or I'll rip yours out."Vic chuckles at this,
"He's right though,instead of your half assed note write him a letter."
"What the hell? No,he already thinks I'm creepy."I need to find a way not to act weird infront of him once he gets back home from sending his grandmother back to her place,
"It doesn't have to be something weird it has to be pretty and heart warming and-"
"Yeah,yeah I don't want him falling for someone who he thinks isn't me only to be disappointed when he finds out."
"You just need to make him curious about this little alter ego and then when he finds put he'll be so surprised that he'll kiss you then I can win the bet."My cheeks involuntarily flare and I remember that fateful night that I did want to kiss him. The memories are fresh like they happened two seconds ago,
"First of all we never made a bet. Second,I don't need him falling in love with me I need him to like me."I lie down in my bed that Cyrus doesn't bother with when he wakes up (such a jerk) realising that I haven't felt so distressed about anything in a long while. I've been happily floating in life until he came along and ruined everything. Now I have to have daily calls and updates with these two to fix it,
"Okay,whatever. Here's the next gift idea,Vicky give me a drum roll-"I hear Ruffis neigh in the background. That's one of his horses by the way. Vicky gives him a drum roll,"A romantic letter and something sweet."
"Okay that's fine I can do that-"I hear the front door open and I stand alert. Cyrus. "Guys I have to go,he's back. Vicky say hi to Parvati for me and say goes for Ruffis,Austin. I'll call later aboutthe letter."
"Bye,Aaron go win me that bet."
"See ya."I hang up once they've said their byes and get up to see Cyrus.
I run up to the door and nearly knock straight into Cyrus. "Hey."I whisper,
"Hi."I must be imagining him checking me out,just like I did last time. I must be a little drowsy. We're stuck in this special place where all we do is stare at each other's faces.  Then his face bends up,"That better not be the washing machine I'm hearing,dork."
"Oh,come on. How often do you do your laundry anyway?"
"When you're not around and your clothes aren't in the wash."
"We're married and living together. That's simply not going to work."I scoff and he shoves me in my shoulders pulling a smile out of me. But that's not going to make me forget he looks a little down,"Hey what's wrong?"my hand is already on his shoulder before I can think bad habit I guess. I remove it quickly and we have to face awkward silence for a moment,
"... nothing. I just dread having to leave Nana all alone."he breaths out sitting on the kitchen counter and I sit beside him,
"I didn't know it was like that-"
"It isn't. She has friends,the whole town loves her and she's healthy. I don't have to worry,but I do. I worry she gets lonely when I'm not around."
"Can I touch you?"it slips through my lips before I can shove them back in. He looks at me and I melt a little under his gaze,biting my lips I face him,"like touch your hand? Would that be okay?"
"Yeah,sure."he sounds hesitant as he gives me his right hand not wanting to look at me. For a second I don't want to touch him but I do,I let my hand fall on his and I give it a light squeeze,
"Sometimes you keep wondering if someone is lonely when you're the one who feels that way. You want to be closest when you feel far and you say its because they're the ones who feel bad."he nods at this,
"I guess. But I don't know what to do really- I mean I don't want to say I'm miserable just a little alone."you have me. I want to tell him this I want to tell him we can be a team. I don't want to take any detours,I just want to be close with him. You have me,Cyrus. But I can't tell you that yet,
"If it makes you feel any better we can watch the show she likes to watch."A pause,"Like together- me and you-"
"I know what you mean,Aaron."I can't remember when he slipped into calling me that casually. I don't mind it at all. I like it a lot,definitely better than burnt pasta pot. "But I wanna watch something else today."
"Like what?"
"Whatever you like."

____________________

Is turning off the lights and setting a scented candle up in the room a suspicious thing to do when it's with the person you supposedly hate? The correct answer to that question doesn't matter because I already cooked the popcorn and the candle is already candling.
I sit down next to Cyrus whose already started watching the first episode of my favourite cooking show. I'm a little excited to see what his reaction to it is gonna be. I'm also happy we get to spend the evening together.
As the host of the show goes on to explain the rules and plot a second time I turn to Cyrus,whose lazily sitting beside me. Half of his head is being engulfed by the cushion as he lays into it like its a bed making him look so- ugh,what's the word? Soft? Cuddly is the closest we'll get I think,"How was the drive?"
"To was alright. Back was a nightmare,it was raining and stuff. Your car is hard to navigate with by the way."
"That or your just a bad driver. Me thinks it's the latter,"
"You douch bag."He turn back to the screen and pulls the blanket further over himself,"Aaron,why don't you tell me whose going to win?"
"What? No that would ruin it for you,idiot."I shake my head and take a handful of popcorn from the bowl Cyrus perfectly balanced between the two of us,
"So you want me to suffer through twelve episodes and possibly another season and- where did you get this hoodie?"his hands are on me as he puts the fabric between both of his fingers,fidgeting with it,
"I think it's cotton? Not sure."I'm mesmerised by the way he's barely touched me and my heart is already going too fast for my own good,
"I was just wondering because I saw my professor wearing it so I thought it was like the new thing in old man fashion-"I shove him to the side and screams slightly,
"It's always you with that tongue of yours."I mutter and we fall into silence again before I find him looking at me with drowsy eyes. We blink at each other before I break into laughter,"What are you seeing that I'm not,Button."The nickname slips out so easily now,it's becoming so much less of a teasing name and now more of,sue me if you want for saying this but- a term of endearment.
"You should always keep your hair like this."his fingers lazily knot through my hair almost like he's playing with it. It's not that I can't pull away,it's that I don't want to. I want him to keep touching me the way he is.
"Why?"I feel my heart flutter as he moves past just strands and down into my scalp,
"Because its cute,it looks fluffy. Like a muffin or something."
"What about my work hair?"
"That's fine... this is better."I laugh a little and to my dismay he pulls his fingers out of my locs. I nearly want to put his hand back and tell him not to stop. That I like it. Luckily I know to shut my mouth,
"I didn't know Kate was an actor."he whispers,
"How'd you find out?"
"Why didn't anyone tell me? Me and her are besties and I didn't know."is he... pouting? There's no way. Yes,way once I look at his puckered lip. I can't stop myself from putting a hand on his lips and dropping it. It's either he's okay with it or he's too tired to yell at me,
"She doesn't like people knowing."I say,"it took me a while to really know her as well so don't be upset about it,Cyrus."no reply,"Button?"I look down to find him sleeping on my shoulder,lips slightly parted and fluttering lashes. That's how he always looks when he sleeps,I've had no choice but to notice.
I turn off the TV and carry him to bed as gently as I can without waking him up. When I lay him down and tuck him in I'm faced with the fact that he'll be moving back into his room soon. I seriously want to do something stupid like tell him I'm painting it green because I like that colour better so he has tostay with me longer. But that wouldn't be right,if he wants to go I'll let him.
I'd love if he wanted to stay though. So we can keep talking about stupid things in the middle of the night. It feels right and I know he feels it too.
I pull the blanket over him just a little higher before I go to bed next to him.