Broken Masks

Chapter 3 - Home

Dinner that night was as normal as it could be. A simple oven cooked meal with veg. If Klaus had been living on his own, he'd be sure his diet would consist of instant noodles and cheap fast food.

The joys of living with a HE major... Klaus thought as he shovelled food into his mouth. TJ sat across from him, quietly reading a biology text book while eating. Klaus smiled slightly as we watched his friend's brow furrow slightly at the text in front of him.

Cute, Klaus thought, before realising what had just crossed his mind, sat up a little straighter and shook the thought out of his head. TJ looked up from the book.

"You ok?" He asked. Klaus looked up, willing the blush he could feel round his neck not to get to his face.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired." Klaus feigned. TJ smiled.

"If you want you can nap on the sofa while I wash up. I'll wake you up later."

Klaus nodded.

"Ok." So he headed over to the living room and lay down on the sofa, quickly falling asleep.

In the other room, TJ got out his phone. He had felt it vibrate while he was reading the text book, and now he had realised it was in his private messages.

New leads on Machiavellian

TJ bit his lip slightly as he read through the text.

8:47 Cpt. Lena Jones

For: RH

Details of the blood sample left at the scene earlier today will be delivered tomorrow.

CCTV shows Machiavellian but not his face.

Witnesses did not see his identity.

Lena

TJ groaned slightly. If the blood sample didn't reveal who Machiavellian was, the police would be at another dead end.

He shut his phone off and went into the living room. He smiled slightly, seeing Klaus fast asleep on the sofa, his arm draped over the edge and his face relaxed. TJ felt a small bubble of affection build up in his chest as he reached out and brushed the boy's black hair.

TJ had liked Klaus for a long time; ever since they had met, but he couldn't tell Klaus how he felt, in fear that he'd destroy the strong friendship they had. The only person who knew about his crush was Lena. He guessed that was the reason she had turned down Klaus's date request.

Turning away from the sleeping boy, TJ turned the TV on and switched though the channels. He found a good show that would be starting in five minutes so he looked for somewhere to sit on the sofa. Realising Klaus had taken up the entire thing, he sat on the floor.

When the opening tune for the show started, TJ leaned up and hit Klaus round the head. The black haired boy opened one eye, glanced at the TV, and sat bolt upright.

"Yeah Dark Soul!" TJ laughed at the other boy's reaction to their favourite show. Klaus moved his legs over so TJ could sit next to him, and they watched the show together, laughing and commenting throughout.

***

The next day, Klaus had collage for a few hours, so when TJ woke up, Klaus was nowhere to be found in the apartment. Knowing he would soon be receiving a text from Lena detailing the DNA at the scene of yesterday's robbery, the boy shoved his phone in his pocket before turning the radio on and making breakfast.

"...in other news, masked assassin Machiavellian, wanted for fourteen counts of robbery and twenty two counts of murder, once again escaped arrest from the police and The Red Hawk yesterday in a bank robbery gone wrong. Not many details about the incident have been released, however the police are calling for anyone who knows any details whatsoever about Machiavellian or his whereabouts to come-"

TJ shut the radio off. All the stories about Machiavellian escaping again stressed him out. The boy rubbed his eyes and took his plate of food to the sofa before taking out his phone and calling his friend Loyd, a boy in his cooking class.

After a couple of rings, the ginger haired teen picked up the phone.

"Hey Birdman!" He sang, cheerily.

"Loyd I swear to god." TJ said, rolling his eyes. Loyd laughed through the phone.

"What? Am I not allowed to give my best bud a nickname?" He said sarcastically.

"You are the definition of immaturity."

"So what do ya want?" Loyd asked. TJ leaned back against the sofa.

"Is it illegal to want to call a good friend?" Loyd's sigh gave TJ the unavoidable sense Loyd had just raised his eyebrow.

"The only reason you'd ever voluntarily call me is because you want to know what your boyfriend is up to."

TJ choked at the word.

"I do not!" He shouted. Back when he first met Klaus, he'd found out that Loyd was a mutual friend between them. Therefore, in the early days of his crush, TJ would ask Loyd about what Klaus was up to.

Loyd burst out laughing at TJ's response.

"He's working on a fancy waistcoat and listening to music. Has a small limp but that's Klaus for you. I saw his phone background while he was setting up his music. I think it's a picture of you and him in Westwood valley? You know the one where you're both talking by the railings with the waterfall behind you?"

TJ nodded, feeling a bubble of affection rise in his chest.

"Oh, thanks."

"HA!" Loyd shouted, making TJ jump slightly. "You did want to know about what he was doing! Possessive boyfriend much!" TJ gaped.

"I-I...we're not..." Loyd laughed through the phone.

"Calm down Sparrow Boy, I get it. You only have a fat crush." And with that, Loyd hung up before TJ could answer.

Well, there goes my chance to ask about getting a new bloody spatula TJ thought to himself.

A few hours later, Klaus arrived back at the apartment, his arms full of fabrics and a plastic bag full of food.

"Hey TJ! I'm back!" He yelled.

"Oh hey Klaus!" TJ shouted back from the kitchen. He emerged seconds later, his hands covered in thick white flour and small lumps of butter. Klaus grinned.

"What ya making?" He asked. TJ grinned, beckoning Klaus into the kitchen. On the counter stood a large bowl full of cake batter. The raven haired boy quickly dipped his fingers in and ate some of the batter. TJ clapped his hands, a small plume of the white dust exploding into the air, and onto Klaus's front. Klaus gaped.

"Hey!" He shouted, and scooped another bit of the batter and poked TJ on the nose with it. The blond turned red and laughed. Klaus smiled.

Cute.