Blessing in Disguise (MM)

Chapter Thirteen

ARIS' POV

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Today is the day I move in with Luca. We found the perfect little flat online and within a few days we were viewing it, signing the contract and the keys were ours. I had no idea that it would happen so quickly but a part of me was relieved.

Declan ordered us a moving van, one for my house and the other for Luca's. I told him that he didn't need to do that and I'd pay him back but he refused. Every time I think about them together, I wonder how I ended up working for the grumpy brother instead of the nice one.

I can't believe they're brothers, they're like polar opposites.

We carry our boxes of belongings up to the second floor of the building. Our furniture was brought in earlier this morning and now it's everything else that needs to fill the rooms. I place down a box and take a large breath, not realising how taxing the physical activity is being on my heart.

"You okay?" Luca asks as he pauses beside me.

I hum because I'm incapable of words right now. Declan walks in at the exact time I lean an arm into the wall to catch my breath. Goddamn this shitty heart, I wish that it would work like anyone else's but instead it's deteriorating by the second.

"Aris," Declan's voice makes me snap my head in his direction. "What's up?"

Luca knows about my heart disease but I asked him not to tell Declan in fear that he might end up telling Nick and then I'll be jobless and I'll never be able to afford this place. I trust that he didn't tell him because I guess right now he wouldn't look super concerned.

"Just tired," I flash him a weak smile. "Box was heavy."

Not a total lie. I'm just slowly dying inside. Internal morbid jokes help me get by.

Declan is still eying me suspiciously. I guess because I don't necessarily look out of shape and a few steps up to the apartment shouldn't be an intense struggle. I ignore him for a moment and look to Luca who is flashing me a smile of support.

"Right," Declan slaps his hand onto the wall. "What's the plan for this place then? I guess I'll be getting my DIY shit out soon."

Luca's eyes light up at his boyfriend's suggestion. "Well, we asked the landlord and he said we can do whatever as long as we restore it to the way it looked before. I've been looking up videos of panelling and they seem easy to bring down."

"Mmm," he folds his arms over his chest and looks to the wall of the living room. "Yeah, I could see it here."

"We already thought of colours," Luca nods as he pats down his pockets. "We just need to get the paint collected. Oh, shit! I left my phone in your car."

Then he's gone and I start to unpack some items into the kitchen drawers. Declan helps at the other end as we rip open the new knives and forks, plates that don't have chips in them from my old place. IKEA is a Godsend.

"So," Declan clears his throat. "I've heard you've been doing a good job with Elodie."

I flex a brow at him. No doubt Luca has probably said something and how I'm enjoying my new role. There is no way in hell that Nick would have said that to him, unless we're all living in an alternate universe where he's all of a sudden... nice.

"Who said that?" I ask, curiously getting the better of me.

Declan's head tilts. "Nick told me... Your boss?"

I pause and drop the forks onto the counter, clanging loudly. "He actually said that?"

My mouth is practically hanging open because there is no way that Nick would have said that when he acts like he wants to fire me every damn second. I can never do anything right. Maybe Declan is trying to make me feel better because Nick has been slagging me off instead. I snort to myself silently, that's definitely it.