unloved [nick x gatsby]

ONE

nick went about his normal morning in the west egg. birds chirped melodious songs in the warm air, flying about their nests. pink earthworms popped out into the open to see the sun just once in their sad dark lives and got snatched up by the graceful birds. squirrels bounded up trees with the quickness one would expect of an animal that small.

nick pushed open the small window of his small home to let the air in. he smiled, sticking his head out the window. the sun kissed his blushing cheeks a warm pink, like the shades of an early sunset. it was a beautiful day indeed. his eyes travelled along the landscape of his house. not too well kept but there was an air of peacefulness to it. like nature was just doing its thing and he was merely a small inconvenience to it. his eyes travelled up to the small top of a tower that he could see of his neighbours house. house... it was more like a castle. peaked roofing, huge windows, a huge courtyard. it was grand and welcoming, just begging to be filled with the elite all night long. it was strange, to think he had never met the man who lived so close. he hadn't an idea of what the man could even look like!

towering? mousy? gaunt? chubby? blue eyed? brown eyed? tidy? disheveled?

no one seemed to know. and if they did, they weren't willing to say. nick had met many people in the area, people who had been in the man's house, but they could only give him a name:

G A T S B Y

it was so mysterious to nick. knowing it only made him want to know about the man behind the it more. he knew he should stop being so distracted and study harder for his work, but his head was always in the clouds. fantasizing about what gatsby might look like what he might sound like. nick knew all this imagining would lead him nowhere. gatsby was likely just a wrinkly old man scratching at every straw to recapture the light of his younger years. regardless of that knowledge nick dreamed on.

he moved away from the window, grabbing a broom and dusting roughly. the harsh bristles sounded like sandpaper on wood, scratching back and forth and smoothening the surface. nick decided he hated that sound. it was a useless thought, but anything to get the damn dream man out of his head... well... if nick was being honest with himself, he liked it. he adored the idea of a gorgeous man who threw endless parties living beside him. at that thought he tossed the broom aside and it clattered to the ground but he was already on his way to the door, yanking his coat off the hook and shoving it on, grabbing his hat and keys and setting out for daisy's.

nick had a mission. find gatsby. no matter what he'd meet the man, even if he had to sneak in and shake hands with every single guest at one of those parties. he'd know when he found gatsby. he'd just feel it. he drove over to daisy's to talk— never about gatsby or the fact that he was gay— just talk about simple things over simple tea. simple. like how it was before gatsby moved in and held roaring parties well past nick's bedtime. all he wanted was to know gatsby and keep him all to himself, since he'd seemingly be the only one who knew who gatsby was.

there was one issue... the rumours. he'd heard a lot. murderer, spy, traitor. he'd heard it all. it was to be expected when someone as mysterious an hidden as gatsby existed. someone was bound to start rumours. nick wondered which one was true, that is, if any were actually true. he was less inclined to believe the crazier ones. surely no one would go to a murderers party, right?

going to daisy's was a breeze. a light airy breeze, like her personality. nick always admired her. she was his cousin after all but they couldn't be more different. she was confident, bold, beautiful and daring. and he was... nick. that's all. 'no shame in it,' he thought. he wasn't jealous, he just knew in his heart that daisy had met this gatsby guy sometime and never even knew it was him. she was rich, he was rich. they got around. come to think of it, everyone at the parties likely had met gatsby at one point and had no idea. it infuriated nick, and his face must've shown it because he felt a hand on his knee with a reassuring squeeze from daisy.

"got a lot on your mind, huh nicky? you're makin' that face." she said, looking up to him with her big doe eyes and her teasing smile. nick nodded, some of his hair coming loose. daisy immediately leaned over and put it back into place. "your hair looks sexy pushed back." she said softly. nick blushed like a little boy once again, chuckling and looking away ashamedly. "don't be bashful!" she tapped his nose and then moved to sit back in the couch she was on, long elegant legs spread out on it like the wings of an angel. nick just nodded plainly.

"you're too beautiful to have to deal with tom. he's- oh! i'm sorry... i'm sorry i know you must love him and i just said that he's- don't tell him! he'll surely beat me up-" daisy was laughing by now and nick was completely confused. didn't she love her husband?

"oh nicky. you're so naive, please. i hate him! now you better not go around saying that because it'll be me getting the beating!" she said and kicked her legs out and sighed.

nick jumped slightly and put his tea cup down on the table with a small clatter. he quickly excused himself with a tiny, "i must go" and scattered out like a small mouse running to get crumbs. he ignored daisy's calls for him,

"nick! what the hell are you just leaving for? don't you dare tell tom what i said nicky!" she yelled but it fell on deaf ears. nick sprinted to his car and sped home with one memory.

tonight was the night of gatsby's party.

tonight was the night nick was gonna sneak in.