The Amourtaline

Always thought I was hard to love, ('Til you made it seem so easy)

Nick gazed at the mirror, seeing his puffy face with sadness as his eyes went to his exposed neck and collarbone: there were so many bruises, all of them a mixture of purplish-brown, and his stomach churned at the sight of them as he remembered the sinister voice of Chris:

"I'm going to cover your whole body with marks so the next time he sees you, he'll know who you belong to"

His eyes filled up with tears, he immediately buttoned up his pajama shirt feeling so weak, incredibly sad and just so tired...

So so tired...

He sighed and suddenly his chest was engulfed by arms, his back being pressed by a firm chest, the aroma of mint soap and sport-ish shampoo invading him.

"You're so beautiful"- Matt's voice whispered on his ear

Nick smiled grimly, not fully believing him but not daring to voice it, his hand gripping the shirt unconsciously, those bruises in his chest causing him to just... feel so ashamed, for some reason, he felt Matt tense;

"Nick?"

He stayed silent, and all of the sudden he was being lifted bridal-style into the bed, his pajama shirt being unbuttoned; and several alarms started to ring in the older's mind but then he saw Matt looking at his chest quizzically:

"So there's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5..."

"What?"- Nick said stunned

"Let me count"- He said calmly, and after a while he smiled- "Alright, I better start now"

"Wait- What are you-?!"- Nick asked, covering his chest with his shirt but Matt stopped him, kissing him on the lips slowly, the older immediately melting and letting him take the lead.

Matt smiled, and took Nick's hand that held the shirt, taking it off, exposing the bruises better, and the older was about to cover it with his hand again but the younger glanced at him:

"Don't"

"Matt..."- Nick muttered as he looked at the younger's eyes, the latter placing a finger to silence him as the younger went to one of the bruises and placed a gentle kiss.

The same thing happened with the others; bruise that Matt saw: bruise that would get a kiss, the younger showering him with praises every now and then, and Nick then let out the sobs he tried so hard to hold.

The younger glancing at him tenderly, cleaning the tears that rolled down his cheeks as he said:

"I love you so much, Nick"- He whispered, kissing a bruise on his neck- "So, so much"

"I love you too"- Nick said, Matt looking at him with a wide smile- "Way more than you love me"

Matt rolled his eyes as he chuckled:

"Is this a competition?"- He said with a fake competitive tone- "Because if it is, I'm willing to win"

"Oh really?"

"Yes"- Matt crossed his arms as he looked at Nick defiantly

"Well then, good luck with that because I"- Nick stood up, buttoning his shirt and walked toward the computer- "Have work to do, so if you excuse me..."

Nick had to hold his laugh as he saw Matt looking at him stunned, not knowing what to do as he stared longingly at the older like a lost puppy.

"Nick..."- He whined

"Matt..."

"Come here"

"No"- He clicked on the editing program, clearing his throat to hide a chuckle