Beta Squad ♡ bxb ♡ one-shots

Niko x AJ [touch starvation pt.3]

[Last part]
[The quote below is stolen from pinterest and was also the reason for this whole fuckery.]

I did not like to be touched, but it was a strange dislike. I did not like to be touched because I craved it too much. I wanted to be held very tight so I would not break.

"It's no big deal, really." Aj assured Niko when they settled down on the couch. "I can handle a few hate comments, but usually I don't read them, and some just caught me off guard, that's all."

Niko nodded in understanding, but he couldn't shake the weird feeling. Everyone had bad days, and Niko had his fair share of hate comment induced panic attacks himself, but still. Something about the way Aj had flinched from his touch, had asked - no begged him to keep distance, just didn't sit right with him.

Niko tried reading what Aj was feeling from his mannerisms, but he acted just like always. He let his eyes wander over Aj's body, still coiled tightly and movements a bit sharp, but otherwise normal. His lips were closed softly, but the longer Niko stared, the more they pressed together in a forced smile.

He looked up to take in the rest of Aj's expression, expecting him to be focused on the television, but found him looking right at him, one eye brow raised.

Niko's face burned in embarrassment. Here he was, trying to pick Aj's feelings apart, as if being caught off guard on a bad day wasn't a valid reason to momentarily be overwhelmed.

"Right," he breathed out and scooted to the side a bit when Chunkz walked into the room, taking a seat between him and Aj.

Chunkz turned to Aj and raised his brow. Out of the corner of his eyes, Niko could see them have a silent conversation and fidgeted nervously in his place. "Just a bad day to read hate comments, that's all," Aj mumbled after a few seconds, and Chunkz pressed his lips together briefly.

"Well, you must be hungry. I'm making you something." Chunkz stood up but kept his eyes interlocked with Aj's. "Come with me to the kitchen."

For a split second, something like fear passed over Aj's face. Or maybe Niko had only imagined it since the very next moment, Aj was shaking his head with an easy smile. "Nah, man, I'm good."

Chunkz frowned before turning around and making his way to the kitchen anyway. In the doorway, he stopped for a few seconds and, without turning around again, he held up a phone. "I brought your phone, by the way. I'm putting it on its charger in the kitchen."

Next to Niko on the couch, Aj clenched his jaw and balled his hands into fists before stretching them out again and walking after Chunkz.

Niko swallowed heavily and stared at the empty doorway, where Chunkz and Aj disappeared through. Had he - no, there was no way that Chunkz had gone through Aj's phone.

But then again... A loud crash sounded from the kitchen, and Niko couldn't take the not knowing anymore. He side glanced at Sharky and Kenny, who were engrossed with the movie playing and quietly sneaked towards the kitchen.

He stopped in the doorway and breathed quietly so as not to draw attention to himself. After that first banging noise, there was mainly silence, and Chunkz was whispering intensely.

"-nothing that would make us stop loving you, Aj."

Then there was silence again, right before a soft sobbing sound and Niko's heart clenched in his chest. Another rustling sound, like someone put a tray down and then, "Ah, fuck, come here."

The sobs were being shushed now, like Chunkz was hugging Aj close to his chest and stroking his fingers through his hair. Aj said something in reply, but it came out muffled, probably by Chunkz's shoulder, and Niko couldn't understand what it was.