The Agreement •MXM• (Book 1)

You can't ignore me

Cyrus

Did I run away from Aaron by escaping to my home town to collect my thoughts? Yes.
I've been staying with Nana,I don't know how long I can stay here though... she's starting to question my motives behind staying at her place for more than three days. I keep finding her staring at me,and giving me side ways glances.
I mean it is suspicious,when I come to check up on her- which is usually just me running from my loneliness and normally has little to do with how she feels. I only stay for a day or two,this is my fourth day. I'm extending my stay,I know that- no need to look at me while I'm eating.
Which is what she's doing,as I eat the pancakes she makes,a comfort breakfast of mine since childhood,mostly cause no one can make em like she does. But she's tainted the experience of finally tasting them after months by staring at me with that smile of hers. It's not the I love you sweetie keep eating smile,it's the I've been scheming behind your back smile. I know her,
Despite the fact that her grandma alarms are probably blaring in her head right now,home is still home. The same small but big enough house I grew up in,with its old glass lamps and lights that look like fancy wine glasses somebody hung on a ceiling for fun. The dandelion yellow walls,and the open kitchen. I spent so much time here eating and cooking- well trying to cook. Nana handled most of the cooking things,I helped here and there when there was no risk of me burning something. We used to play board games just the three of us on this very marble counter.
The house is flat so there's no upstairs,just a one story but it has two rooms. This place was supposed to be there tiny little retirement home but plans changed once they had to start to changing my diapers. So,I've grown up with this cozy life,nice smelling mornings,small neighbourhood even though it might get annoying. I love it so much that my room has a full wardrobe for when I come visit with a toothbrush in the bathroom,all the essentials. If I ever come over I don't even need to pack a bag. I can just pop up and I'll be fine. I hate that she wants me to spend less time around this place,she wants me to make friends and is even going as far as supporting Aaron. I get it though,just because I'm grown now doesn't I'm taken off the list of Mary and Joe's to gossip about.
She wants to protect me. Like she always has,
I take my plate to the sink and wash the two dishes of ours,my sweater hangs around my wrists making it annoying to wash,but most of the clothes I left here are like this. Made for winter and autumn the time I dread being alone in,NOTHING IS WORSE THAN BEING COLD AND ALONE. The sweater is green and hangs below my waist,I like to wear it with my fishing shorts so the only thing that's telling you I'm wearing something underneath is a slip of fabric. No that's not public indecency,I don't even walk outside while I'm here. I finish with the dishes and get ready to sit beside my grandma but she tells me to go open the door for our guest,
"What guest? No one has even rung the door bell..."I ask looking at her suspicious smile,
"Just go- I'm your elder."okay this is weird,she never says that. I go to the silent door anyway,begrudgingly. I open the old creaking door and look outside expecting nothing but my heart stops when I see Aaron's company car or whatever parking outside,in OUR drive through. The horns in my head start to blare,Aaron's here it chants as if I don't already know making me panic. Aaron's come home the little voice exclaims and I tell it to shut up,with no other choice I walk out bare footed into the porch and wait for him to come out. He extends to his full height like he has no end,wearing his normal sunglasses. A white cotton shirt,and black denim pants,he gets out and sees me then he waves halfway- I frown and walk closer,
"What are you doing here?!"I demand,arms crossed over my chest but he just acts like he can't hear me,he starts opening one of the back seats and reaches his hand in,and retrcats it with a leash,my little puppy jumps out and starts sniffing my legs,
"He missed you."see? This is him using my baby to black mail me,I won't fall for it,I'm a secret spy after all. I scowl,"What? Did you not miss our son?"
"He's mine,not ours."
"He's technically more emotionally attached to me because you ran away."
"You said you could handle him. Did you get fed well? Hmm?"I ask him as I pick him up and start walking to the house,Aaron follows me,"What are you doing here Manalo. Don't make me ask again,"
"I'm here to pick you up."he says taking off his shoes on the porch and I feel like shoving him into Nana's bushes,
"No you're not,I'm staying a couple more days-"
"I have no idea what you're talking about Cyrus. Your husband is here to get you. You have to go home,"
"What? Nana no,no one told him to-"
"I did. I told him to come get you,moppy boy."traitor! I can't believe she back stabbed me. I frown like I child whose mad,
"Good morning,Mrs Mclain."
"Please call me Diana."no! He can't- you can't make him feel comfortable,Nana. Is what  I want to say to her as she smiles at Aaron. I can't help but notice how he bows his head slightly,he probably always does what an elder tells him to,I think to myself.
Begrudgingly,I let him into my old home.

Aaron

My heart started jingling like a freaking bell when I saw Cyrus in those shorts of his. The way the showed off the freckles his glowing skin. Is it normal for someone to look and act so damn cute? The urge to just reach my hand out and- okay let me not get to lost there. Control yourself Aaron,what would mom say if she saw you having these type of thoughts?
I'm also infront of his grandmother- although I think she wouldn't mind at all of I whisked him away. She's the one who called me saying that I should come get my husband and sort out whatever argument we had. Happy to say that we didn't have a fight,I just told him I loved him.
I try not to look like it but I've been pretty bothered lately by him leaving. I guess he just needs some time to process all that. Which is fine. I'm a persistent AND patient man.
I'm lead into the house by Diana- since I can call her that now. My breath hitches as I realise I'm in his childhood home. It means I'm walking where he walked when he was as young as a toddler. I look over at the TV and the tables,all these are things he grew up with. It feels strangely- intimate. To be looking into his past in such a way. Waking in it.
I understand now where he got his desire for a messy but cozy area. I keep everything I'm seeing in mind for later,if he likes this I'll definitely look for something similar. Am I getting ahead of myself? Yes,but good god doesn't it feel good to think about living in an actual house with him. My heart starts fluttering again,
"Aaron dear? Why don't you go help Cyrus pack his things while I keep you twos little one?"Diana says,taking the puppy from Cyrus and he in return frowns at me as he disappears into a hallway without so much as a follow me. I do anyway,
I quickly realise this is Cyrus old room. A small messy bed,a cluttered desk and a packed floor. I've come to know him and his style. The room smells like him,I think to myself not being able to help it. The early sun shine pours through the window at the edge of the small space like airborne maple syrup,or maybe that's my brain being fried because of the smell of something sweet in this house the moment I walked in. With vigor I didn't know he had he opens a tiny wardrobe and takes out a couple of clothes stuffing them into his bag with a frown. Does he really not want to go back? Not even with our-  I mean his son?
I shake the thought out of my head and decide to snoop while he's busy I head to his desk. I rummage through a couple of books that are clearly for college before I find a picture book of him and his grandmother and what seems to be his grandfather. No mom in sight- just how young was he when she left him here? I try not to think about that as I look at how cute he was when he was young. Those full cheeks,I mean they still are chubby. How else would he look so adorable when he's sulking at me? I smile with realising and Cyrus cuts my day dreaming short by closing the book,
"You're violating clause number two."
"Oh? Want me to buy you donuts or something?"he keeps frowning like my joke isn't funny at all,"don't worry Button,I'll buy you as many as you want on the way home."I can't help but pinch his cheek and feel out its softness.
Like a pillow.
He makes a face as I rub his tender skin between my fingers with care,"What do you think your doing-"
"Aaron dear! Can you come here for a moment?"Diana call from the living room,
"Hold that thought for me,Button,I'll be back."I wink and take off into the living area,