The Waters - A Beta Squad Story (bxb)

4. Friends Turn To Family

Just then, the sound of footsteps on the stairs caught their attention. They both jumped back and turned towards the source of the noise, only to see Niko, Aj, and Chunkz making their way downstairs. Their faces were still flushed from sleep, and they yawned while walking through the doorway. "Morning, guys," Niko mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "What's up?"

Sharky felt a pang of disappointment as their intimate moment was interrupted, but he quickly composed himself and smiled warmly at the others. "Oh, hey guys. Just hanging out here, chatting away." He glanced at his phone. "It's getting late, though. We should probably get ready."

Niko nodded, still looking a bit groggy. He ruffles Aj's messy curls, mumbling the word cute as Aj hides his face in his hands. He walks towards the fridge to pull out the carton of orange juice and fill two glasses. "Yeah, I suppose we should. What's on the agenda today, guys?"

Sharky glanced at Kenny, who shrugged in response. "Well, we've got a big meeting with some producers this morning in about two hours. We'll need to make sure everything's perfect. And then, of course, there's the photo shoot for the new merch later on, and finally, we are filming the new video. It's going to be a busy day."

Niko groans loudly as he passes the other glass to Aj and leans back against the kitchen counter. Chunkz admires Niko's domestic behaviour of looking out for Aj.

Chunkz has always had a soft spot for the shorter man, though he would never be soppy enough to admit that out loud. He loves to take care of him like a younger brother, and maybe he should be jealous of Niko for often stealing the job, but he loves seeing his friends like this. He watches how Aj looks at Niko after, with a shy smile painted across his features that makes Chunkz smile at the sight.

As they all began to gather their heads and start to move to get ready for the day, Aj walked over to Chunkz and gave him a quick hug, whispering. "Thanks again for last night, man. I really needed that." Referring to the chat they had after everything cooled down yesterday, Chunkz, shocked at the initiation of affection, squeezed him tight until Aj was giggling and pushing at his shoulders to get away, feeling a sense of pride and affection for his friend.

Kenny turned to Niko and Sharky and said, "Are you two ready for today? We've got a big day ahead of us." They both nodded in agreement, ready to face whatever challenges came their way.

They let their managers know they were all up and ready, to which they sent out a vehicle to go pick them all up.

Sharky couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie and belonging as they all left the house together. They walked towards the waiting cars, their voices blending into a harmonious hum. As they made their way to the office, Sharky couldn't shake the memory of the moment he had shared with Kenny earlier. It was unlike anything they had ever experienced before, and he couldn't help but wonder what it meant for their friendship.

Kenny, too, was lost in thought. The whole journey, he couldn't stop thinking about the way Sharky had looked at him and the way he felt their arms right against each other. It was both exhilarating and terrifying, and he wasn't sure how to navigate these new feelings. He glanced at Sharky out of the corner of his eye, hoping for some sort of indication of what was going on in his mind, but got nothing.

As they arrived at the office, their managers were already waiting for them. The meeting with the producers was their top priority, and they needed to make sure everything went smoothly. The boys were led into the conference room, where they sat down and began to discuss their plans and strategies for the upcoming weeks.

Throughout the meeting, Sharky couldn't help but steal glances at Kenny whenever he spoke. There was something about the way his voice reverberated in the room, commanding attention and respect. It made Sharky feel both proud and protective of him.

After the meeting, they headed upstairs to prepare for the photo shoot. The photographer was already setting up the lights and backdrops, and the boys were buzzing with energy. As they changed into their new outfits, ready to advertise Sharky's clothing brand first, he found himself standing close to Kenny, brushing off some nonexistent lint from his jumper. "You know," he said softly, "you're really something special, Kenny. You should know that."

Kenny looked up at Sharky, his eyes softening. "Thanks, Sharky. I think I'm just doing my best." He paused, then added, "I hope I'm doing enough." Sharky placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You're doing more than enough. You're amazing."

As they finished getting ready, the photographer motioned for the boys to take their places for the group photo. They struck a pose together; Niko had his arms wrapped around Aj's shoulders. The camera flashed, capturing the essence of their friendship in a single image. They were all frozen in laughter in the photo. It captured the group's friendship perfectly.

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Anyone else adore the Chunkz and Aj friendship? 😻
-B🎧