niko hums in thought, thinking back at the four years he spent at this school. of course there’s been some rough patches – this past semester in particular, but generally he had a decent time. especially when hunter had been his dealer but that’s all a thing of the past now. 

“good to know i still have my youth,” he rolls his eyes and lets out a scoff at the other’s insult. nothing could damper niko’s mood tonight but it’d be a lie to say that he would let an opportunity to be salty towards the other slip. “it’s a shame you can’t say the same– chain smoking really does fuck you up for the worse.” 

hunter laughs. it’s breathy--like he’s fighting it. niko’s such a little shit. and hunter used to like that. they’d been almost friends, he thinks. and maybe hunter got a little attached. sometimes he fucks up in drawing lines between appropriate professionalism while he’s working, and it bit him in the ass with niko. the guy almost sold him out.

so he’s not gonna let this pass. if niko’s gonna talk shit, he better be ready for hunter to cash it in

“hey.”.

he bends a little. leans in so they’re eye to eye.

“don’t be a bitch.”

“ 𝐡𝐞𝐲, 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 and a hypothesis ! that’s, like, the first thing they teach you in intro. “ addison can barely keep a straight face through the statement, bursting out into a fit of giggles after. “ i would, but it’d be embarrassing. for you. “ he feigns offense immediately at hunter’s statement, clutching his heart. “ quieter ? all i did was study this entire semester ! i literally got a gift card from one of the librarians for, as she put it, ‘resting her faith’ in our generation. “

“are you going full nerd on me? stop.“ he reaches out--pinching the lobe of addison’s right ear in an attempt to shut him up. it doesn’t work--but this is why he likes the kid. it’s always easy around addison somehow, and hunter rolls his shoulders mostly for show. “yeah? everyone’s scared of you, huh?”

HE LETS OUT A SCOFF , amused . ‘ don’t tease me like this , hunter . ’ it was easy honestly , easy for dominic to play with his anxiety like this — to cover it up with flirting and sex . ‘ and of course i have standards . and you , my friend , among the top . ’

and when hunter easily agrees , he lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding . ‘ my apartment if that’s okay . ’ he says , a little bit too eager . ‘ i’m.. a fucking mess right now so . ’ and he’s a mess alright , a mess for thinking he can shove his anxiety down by taking the wrong pills — conditioning it to help him focus instead . and god , breathe — dominic , breathe . he closes his eyes . one , two , three . ‘ thanks man . ’

“i don’t make promises i can’t keep.“ he’s already toeing on his high tops, leaving the laces loose as he shrugs on the closest jacket. it’s varsity. probably basketball team, forgotten by a guest and he hums, “even if you sweet talk me you’re not getting a discount. be there in 10.” hunter doesn’t wait for an answer before hanging up. doesn’t bother with ‘you’re welcome’ because why the hell is dom thanking him? for helping fuck up his perfect life?

HIS INITIAL RESPONSE is to chuckle , a bit hoarse with this throat dry but he manages . dominic leans back against his front door , stretching his legs as he stares up at his ceiling , humming low . ‘ pleasure works too ( been wanting it for a while ) but damn , not when you’re still hooking up with sera , ’ he says , all too aware of what the two should NOT be doing . ‘ gimme a call then , maybe . ’ 

but despite the light teasing , hunter’s latter statement hangs in the air because of course he’d know . dominic sighs , running a hand through his hair . ‘ but yeah , business . and i know , man . it’s just.. finals is being a bitch right now , ’ he responds , only half - true . his mind was being a bitch right now , was more like it . but he doesn’t say it , not if he wants those pills . ‘ so , can i get a refill ? ’

dom sounds rough. it’s audible even with the shitty connection hunter’s got in his even shittier apartment, and when the guy finally stops laughing long enough for hunter to potentially get a word in (you okay, man?) he hesitates. decides not to take it and lets dom go on. “well. your loss.” he fiddles with the lighter on his desk. “even a guy like you has standards, huh?”

“ 𝐢'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐭. 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐞, hunter. “ he sputters, waving his own hand back in the boy’s face. “ i’m a psychology major. pretty soon, it’s gonna be my job to read into stuff. yours too. don’t make me fight you right here, right now. “ he nods, eyes going wide as he reaches to accept the flask from hunter. what a guy. “ going home. i’ve taken the phrase ‘sweet home alabama’ a little too literally this past semester. “

  𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙖'𝙨  𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨  𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚  gently  across  his  features ,  taking  a  moment  to  selfishly  take  in  his  almost  otherworldly  attractiveness ,  the  way  his  eyes  glinted  in  the  dim  light  of  her  kitchen  and  how  his  hair  fell  delicately  across  his  forehead .    she  hummed  finally ,  shaking  her  head .    “  not  with  me .    so  let  me  come  with  you .  ”

and  then  the  heat  of  his  hands  rest  on  her  hips ,  realizing  that  she’s  once  again  dressed  in  only  a  large  t-shirt  (  this  one  stolen  from  dominic  ) ,  and  how  close  his  hands  are  to  her  bare  skin .    “  hmm…  ”    floats  out  of  her  lips  and  her  fingers  move  to  rest  on  his  shoulders .

“  nothing  here …  ”    she  states  as  her  fingers  play  across  his  collarbones ,  followed  by  her  lips  dragging  across  his  skin  and  up  his  neck .    “  not  here  either …  ”     her  teeth  scrape  lightly  at  the  skin  under  his  ear  before  moving  across  his  jaw ,  teasingly  letting  her  lips  hover  a  few  centimeters  from  his  before  moving  up  to  kiss  the  tip  of  his  nose ,  his  temples ,  and  finally  a  kiss  above  each  eyebrow .    “  looks  like  you’re  all  clear .  ”

his gaze narrows, relaxing under the the glide of her fingers, his breath slow and easy as he just watches her face. hunter doesn’t get her. sera’s got plenty of other boys to waste time with. boys with lots of money--but she’s looking at him so sweet and he doesn’t get it. maybe he’s just something different she can get riled up about when she gets bored of her gucci men. so he’s firm, voice hard as he denies her with-- “it’s not a game, sera.”