The Agreement •MXM• (Book 1)

At Austin's

      Author's note: 

I swear ya'll better remember who Austin is or else I'm suing

Aaron

Did Cyrus find a way to convince me to take him to Austin's? Yeah.
He didn't really tell me anything I was just- I felt bad you know. He really wanted to see his dogs,and I didn't want to let him down. Don't make fun of me.
So here we are in his house.
I'm vividly remembering how he looked when he walked into Austin's house. The way his eyes travelled over his pine wood floors,his family pictures. He has a big family by the way,two older brothers,and a younger sister. But here he loves alone in this house that's huge with four bedrooms and three bathrooms,a large living room and more. His parents don't live far from his barn,they still stay in the property,the property being a huge chunk of land that they bought not too long ago. I think he was still in college when they bought the barn and the apple orchid. He was also still in college when he had to be in control of everything. I wish he could live in the city with me but he can't so if I want to see him I have to call.
Overall the place has his touch to it. His soft,unsuspecting touch. Like everywhere you turn you'll see him smiling happily at you even if he isn't there. Courtesy of all his knitted creations,dog hair and figurine collection. "Helloo."Austin says walking into the living room,covered in flour and wearing his peach apron. He's flashing his smile and Cyrus flashes his back,you'd think they were long lost friends.
"Hello Austin. We're you cooking something?"
"Pie,can't let the birds get to the wild berries before I make a pie."he says laughing,running his hand through his hair putting more flour in his golden hair,
"Austin."I say,making myself known to their little happy-go-lucky festival,
"Hey man."he drags me in for hug and I return it,"You two take seats,I'll be with you in a second."he disappears into the back of the kitchen,and Cyrus keeps looking around the house with this in awe expression. Cute. I have that exact thought about him at least once a day. It makes me forget about the insults he can forge with his tongue. Its strangely a nice thing to forget.
It has me thinking about other things. Other things like me thinking it would be okay if me and Cyrus bought a real house together,one like Austin's. I think we could live with that. "Austin,where are your dogs?"Cyrus asks after Austin comes back without his apron and a clean shirt. He smiles and then he snaps his fingers,his three pets come running into the living room through the back door. Milo,Scott and Bella. I've memorised their names because he never shuts up about them. He seriously treats them like their his babies,
"This is Milo."He says petting the huge golden dog,"And his brother Scott."also yellow like a banana and the size of a coffee table,"Bella here is the oldest,"He says as he scratches her around the ears,"I grew up with her so she's pretty old."I watch as he's eyes sadden a bit,he called me once crying because she has to go to the vet more and more these days. He's scared she doesn't have a lot of time left,
Before I can even process anything Cyrus slides off the couch and gets to the ground and starts petting the friendly animals. He's lost in the frenzy,smiling and laughing,barely escaping their tongues. Despite myself,I smile at watching him be happy. "You should totally get him one."Austin whispers into my ear and I shove him to the side,
"I'm not getting him a dog."I whisper back,
"He loves them so much though... he'd love you too if you got him one."he starts nudging me with his elbow and I remember why I didn't want to come here. No use regretting it now though.
"So... how long have you guys known each other?"Cyrus asks once he's out of his frenzy still sitting on the floor,
"Since we were in college."Austin say simply. I nod along secretly falling in love with the smell that's filling the room,probably from the oven,
"Was Aaron a jerk?"the space around us falls silent and I want to have a glaring contest with Cyrus but he's happier patting Milo's head.
"... not really. He was just lost- like me."I remember vividly without another choice how we used to act.
"Ew- so what you helped each other find your true selfs?"he cringes hard watching after Austin who walks back to the kitchen and I silently anticipate him taking that pie out of the oven. Heck,what the hell is taking so long?
"Something like that."he says laughing throwing a kitchen towel over his shoulder,
"You only have each other?"
"Nah,Vicky is also a home boy."he sighs,
"Whose Vicky? A friend?"Cyrus asks looking intrigued,passing looks to the both of us,
"Aaron! How could you not tell him about Victor?"Austin gasps with his hands on his hips and I twist my face as I look at him. Of course I could just tell both of them I didn't tell Cyrus about Victor because I hadn't exactly made it clear to him that me and Cyrus aren't actually in love because if he knew that he'd go Mr Brown's house and wreck the place. He's super protective. Of everybody. He's also sensitive about love and marriage,he doesn't think they should be thrown around like this and that. So when he found out I was getting married he gave me the stank eye. Now isn't a good time to  be discussing my marriage with the guy. Bad scenario he kills Mr Brown. Second worst he kills me. Worst case scenario he kills both of us. Me for being a coward and Mr Brown for being him.
"I- we've been busy,I haven't seen any of his friends either."
"That's cause I don't have any."Cyrus adds scratching the back of Scott's ear with a thin smile,
"With your cute face how'd that happen?"Cyrus shifts nervously at the compliment as one of the dogs tugs on his oversized sweater. He doesn't seem to mind at all.
"Well then whose ready for some pie?"finally.

____________________

Cyrus

The wind ruffles in Aaron's hair as he speeds across what seems like open country in an open convertible. His finger tap methodically on the steering wheel,his expression made aloof by the dark sheen of his sunglasses and the near tight press of his lips. Cover of some car companies magazine is what he looks like in faded but well fitted jeans and a black shirt. It's simple as hell but he's pulling it off like it's some unachievable style,one of the outfit inspos on Pinterest. Pair that up with the fact that I'm full from eating all that pie.. this is torture.
He's blinding me. The same way a kid flashes a a reflective light in your face cause they think it's funny. It's not. I poke my head out of the window and feel the fresh wind straight up water boarding me with air. Its nice despite what it sounds like. Aaron's voice breaks me out of my dream like state, "Button if you don't get your head back in this car right now-"
"You'll what? Not like I'm gonna fall out or something."a tension that shouldn't be there rises when I catch him glaring at me through the rear view mirror,my heart gasps. Annoyingly,it doesn't stop gasping.
"You're small enough to."he says in gravelled voice,I want so badly to push him out and make it look like an accident. I'll write a book about becoming a widower and how bad I miss my husband faking a personality of a wet noodle just to spite his dead spirit.
"You're big enough to make head injuries look like a mistake."I mutter and he cackles,literally wheezes like a kettle,
"Planning murder huh? You can't do that-."he says simply with a deep breath,
"Why not?"I say squinting at the road ahead,hands in my lap,
"Because as much as you hate my guts you can't kill me. You have a heart."he breathes and I want to hit him. I would hit him if he wasn't driving so I'd be putting myself in terrible danger. "A heart that wants a house maybe?"I'm about to ask what he mean when he pulls up on the side of the road,
"What are you doing."I demand and he ignores me as he pulls to a stop taking off his sunglasses and putting them at the top of my head.
"So you don't keep squinting like that. I want you to be able to see how handsome I am."he says,smugly. I shove him hard in his shoulder,
"What are you going to use then?"just as I finish he opens his glove compartment and takes out another pair. With a grin he puts them on. This douch.