I miss you, I'm sorry

Part 35

Everyone thought everything between Niko and AJ was completely fixed up. Everyone had assumed that meant no more arguing, no more having to have side convos about the pair, and no more awkwardness. They were only right about one of those things. You see, AJ and Niko were friends again, but it would take a while to build up a proper genuine friendship again, as well as, the boys had no clue how to act around one another. 

The issue was, they had spent so long hating each other, they didn't know what to do when they were together, and the fact AJ was waiting for Niko to make a decision didn't help either. 

Aj was able to accept that for now, they would just be friends, and was ready to act the same way with Niko as the others, not completely, but building things up slowly. But Niko was conflicted. On one hand he wanted to act normal with Aj, talk, joke, mess around, like normal friends, but on the other hand, he didn't want to give Aj the wrong idea. He still hadn't made up his mind on whether he could try again with Aj. He definitely knew he wanted to, but the question on if he could was difficult. 

One day, he'd be all normal and cuddly with Aj, but then the next he'd be distant and dry. He was scared to give Aj the wrong impression, and they return to their hatred ways.

Unfortunately today was a 'bad Niko' day, as Aj called it. He noticed how Niko switched up constantly, and it hurt a little. Obviously he didn't expect the boy to jump straight into a friendship, but the contrast of actions confused him.

Another thing that had thankfully changed was the lockdown regulations, things were starting to supposedly get better, the rules now being you can meet one person in a public space. 

...

Currently, the boys were sat at playing FIFA, bored out of their minds

"Guys, Ima go out and link someone later, so don't wait for me to start the games," Niko says as he continues playing the game.

"Oh, what time will you be back?" Aj asks, wanting to know for Niko's safety, and if he would be back in time to play any games. 

"I don't know." Niko simply says, cold tone in his voice. 

"Oh, Okay," Aj smiles sadly, leaning back against the sofa, pulling his knees to his chest as he watches the screen. 

Sharky looks at the boy, sighing gently. He had noticed the change in Niko's behaviour over the past week, and he could tell it was hurting AJ a lot. Aj had explained to Sharky and Chunkz what had happened after they had left the room, and so it confused Sharky too when Niko was cold one minute, and I would kill a fly if they come anywhere near Aj the next.

"Its so unfair," Sharky whispers to Kenny, whom he was laying against. 

"What's unfair," 

"The way he treats him. It's like, he pulls him in only to put him at arms reach again." Sharky sighs, curling himself closer under Kenny's arm, yet keeping his eyes straight on the screen.

"I know. But you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. He can't go from hating to loving him over night, Sharks. He needs time."

Sharky looks at Kenny with an 'are you serious' expression, "I understand that Ken, but why be nice one minute then be a bitch the next. It's unfair to Aj. I'd get it if he was slowly easing into it, but at this point he's using AJ's emotions to his advantage."

"We don't know what's going through his head, nor do we know what they talk about with one another, so we can't make a judgement on something we don't know completely."

"I get that, but from what we do see, from what Niko tells you and Aje tells me, its obvious that its unfair what he's doing to him. If Niko can't change that quick fine, people change at their own pace, but how do you change to nice, and then change back within minutes."