NIKKI & JOE, CASUALLY | updates every monday

76: they hate to see a boytoy winning

            I tug Joe to a halt on the staircase landing a storey below Caleb and Eilidh's apartment. She assumes it an invitation for a kiss and though it's not what I had in mind, I'm more than happy for the opportunity. We will not be able to as much as look at each other without mockery once we get upstairs.

'I have to warn ya. They'll be proper annoying.'

'I assumed.'

'No,' I stress, 'they'll be really really annoying. They love taking the piss outta me and you are, by extension, gonna suffer it too. So prepare yourself.'

Chuckling, Joe leans up. 'I'm prepared,' she mutters against my lips and kisses me again.

The more Joe kisses me, the better she learns to do it—there is not a chance that she is not teasing me on purpose when she knows we'll have to be in public for the next several hours. We decided not to have sex for a while, considering our whole coworkers with benefits thing were all sorts of confusing. It's good for us to be purely romantic for a while. But let's say that I've been taking longer showers lately and, by the looks of it, tonight also. Apparently, she's chosen to join the Bully Nicolás side of the group. Not that I could care less when her tongue–

'How long are you gonna snog for?'

We flinch apart, eyes snapping to the centre hole of the stairwell through which we have a direct line of sight to the next level. They're all gathered at the railing to watch us. Allan actually has popcorn, clearly having been in the middle of pouring it into a bowl when he were ushered into the corridor because it's still in the pot.

My cheeks burn hot even before Caleb adds, 'Like Jesus, what is this, Love Island?'

I groan even as I climb up the stairs. No point in trying to hide or settle my blush, I'll probably be bright red all night. We all arranged this Saturday off Spectrum for Joe and me to have some sort of official "coming out to society as a couple" party.

'Waaaait,' Caleb continues. 'Are yous... dating or summat? I thought you were just casual friends.'

Allan thrusts his pot of popcorn into Rishi's arms and scoops us into a hug when we're still on the last step. 'I'm so happy for you. I have butterflies in my head just looking at you! You're so cute.' He lets go of Joe only to crush me with both arms. 'Nicolás, I'm so proud of you. You deserve this.'

'Don't make me cry already.'

'I can help you stop crying,' Rishi drones though he's smiling when I look up. Still holding the popcorn, he only hugs me with one arm. 'I'm happy for you, mate. But if you ever have sex in my flat, I will kill you both.'

'We weren't planning on it.'

'I don't trust you.'

Fair enough.

'Okay, well!' Caleb interrupts, exclamation echoing in the stairwell. 'I made t-shirts.'

He steps back and only now do I realise they're all wearing matching ones, baby pink with the text: YOU'VE LANDED ON PLANET JIKKI. On cue, he spins around to show the back. It's plastered with a picture of me and Joe from our "playing house" phase. We're too focused on each other to notice the picture being taken.

I remember that evening; we'd gathered at Rishi's for a Just Dance night. Right before the photo, Joe had taken off my glasses and wiped them clean, then slid them back into place. Of course, I'm staring at her like I want to cry and kiss her at the same time. When has a romantic partner ever done owt like that for me? She watches me so tenderly.