Kingdom of Concrete (Nicholas Ruffilo/ Bad Omens)

8: Happy Birthday.

Authors Note: I wanted to do an update especially since it's our favourite bassist's birthday!



~Gemma's POV: ~



Stretching in the training room the next day, I had my hair tied up in a loose bun on top of my head as I wore my normal work out attire which was leggings and a tank top. Nicholas was going to meet me here and we were going to train before breakfast while the others were doing their routine. Jolly was having a hard time trying to break into my mothers' files, would curse that she was too smart, and it would be some time until he would be in the files. Noah and Helen were spending time together, she demanded he rested after pushing himself too far with yesterday's training and the fact they wanted to be together. Folio was out looking around, seeing the damage my father had caused and seeing what his friends have heard around town.
Groaning as my muscles stretched I turned when the door opened. Nicholas sauntered in, seeming surprised at the sight of me with my hair up in a messy bun, his was in a ponytail today and he suited it just as much as he did when it was down or on top of his head in a bun. "Take a picture, it would last longer" I said placing my hands on my hip.

Turning music on, metal music played through the speaker as he smiled at me, "I would but we don't have phones here. All communication is through going out in the world and designating meet up points. . . If I had a phone, I would be taking a photo" my cheeks burned at the thought of him wanting to take a photo of me. "So, today we are just going to go over the basics, I know it sounds tedious, but it's been weeks since your last session so it's good to re-jog that muscle memory."

He and I circled around before he struck, it was instinct to flinch away after the weeks I had, he noticed as he stepped back ready to scold me on it but I went to strike, blocking my arm, he swung his other arm and this time I was ready.

We trained for nearly two hours, sweat coated my skin as I gulped down water. "You did good today, was surprised to see you didn't need too much re-training. . . The flinching at the start though—"

"Isn't important because it won't happen again" cutting him off I gave him a look which told him not to push me further on it. "It was a mistake, and it won't be repeated" but there were no promises, it was like I was a scared cat in a way. If I wasn't lashing out, I was shying away.

We both had gotten cleaned up, there was two showers in this bunker building so we each occupied one as we showered before breakfast. Changing into clean clothing, I brushed my dark hair before heading into the kitchen where the others sat sipping on their coffee's and getting their breakfast. "Morning, princess" Jolly smiled up from his book, he had glasses on today which told me he was planning on spending another day at that computer screen.

"Morning" I smiled softly going over and pouring myself some coffee.

"There he is! There is the birthday boy!" my heart froze when those words left Folio, Nicholas entered the kitchen rolling his eyes at his friend, "happy birthday old man, I should be getting you a walker one of these days" he joked.

"You do that and I will whoop your ass" warned Nicholas as he got himself some coffee before taking a seat at the end of the table where he and I would sit together. It was his birthday. How come he never told me?

Helen took a photo with a polaroid once I sat down next to Nicholas, the flash making Nicholas complain and me blink a few times. "Cute!" she smiled happily tossing the photo to Nicholas. "And happy birthday, I made you these" she slid a cupcake in front of Nicholas who smiled at the sight of it, "the rest are on the counter, Gemma I suggest getting one before the guys devour them" she chuckled leaning back in her seat.

The breakfast consisted of lots of happy birthdays to Nicholas from the guys and a few friends that stopped in, even gifting him items while I sat there feeling guilty, if I had known it was his birthday I would have tried to get something for him.
We all ate our food which was specially made by Noah and Helen for Nicholas's birthday, he was trying to tell them to not make a big deal of it but of course them being his best friend wouldn't listen—if I were them, I wouldn't listen either.

"I'll do the dishes" I said as the others put their plates in the sink.

"You sure?" Helen asked looking over from where she placed the last fresh batch of cupcakes down.

"Yeah, you guys go, have fun" she hugged me before her and Noah headed down the hall to spend time together.
Rinsing the plates, I began placing them in the dishwasher we had—It was a small one but still would get the job done.

"You seem quiet?" Nick asked as he refilled his coffee beside me.

Shrugging, I didn't look at him as I continued to clean the counters. "It's your birthday, you didn't even tell me" it hurt thinking he didn't trust me enough to tell me.

He let out the air through his nose, placing his mug down on the counter I couldn't help but watch his arm flex. "Yeah, yeah it is but I didn't want to make a big deal of it."

"But it is a big deal Nick, I could have gotten you something, I could have tried to even help Helen bake your cupcakes but you didn't tell me" it was hard to not be upset.

Nicholas looked at me up and down. "You aren't allowed to leave this place without us, and we don't go out for unnecessary stuff" going to argue, he pressed a finger firmly against my lips, "and it would be unnecessary. I told myself if we didn't know where you guys were, I wasn't going to do anything for my birthday and since we did find you guys, I been so busy that I forgot about it."

Finger still on my lips, I opened my moth, biting the tip of his index finger gently—his eyes seemed to flare at the sight, "I feel bad because I want to get you something, and we are stuck here" I grabbed his finger.

"Don't worry about it, trust me."

But I did. As the day progressed, more and more of their friends would gift him items and most of it was booze that Nicholas would thank them for but then put aside on a table that was getting up there in items, how they knew so many people I didn't know. He even got some new art stuff and ink for his tattoo machine, Noah and Helen even got to go out and meet up with someone who grabbed Nick something, but I was stuck here unable to even talk to him about it.
Dinner rolled around, and it was a big thing as Helen and Noah once more made Nicholas's favourite dish and even a cake which was amazing.

Sitting in mine and Nicholas's room, my head hung in sadness at the fact I couldn't participate in his birthday fun, he was thanking more of their friends for gifts when I had excused myself. Hearing the door open and close, my green eyes slid up to see Nicholas standing at the door, his look was soft as he saw me sitting on the bed we shared. "Gemma. . ."

"No, no don't. It's your birthday, you should go enjoy it" I said running a hand through my hair. "I just wish I could have gotten you something, that's all."

Nicholas didn't move though, his eyes watching me from across the room. "Come take a walk with me" he said softly, looking at him in disbelief he chuckled. "You want to gift me something? Come take a walk with me, put a jacket on and let's go" nodding I grabbed his jacket from the coat rack in the room and slid it on since I didn't have one of my own. He slid on his jean jacket as we headed outside—the sun was already set but the view of the city lights was beautiful.

We walked along the edge line of trees, before taking a seat on a rock that was big enough for both of us to fit. "I didn't want you to get upset about my birthday, I wasn't wanting to celebrate it" he said his leg touching mine as we sat close enough to feel one another's body heat.

"I know, and I am sorry—I think if you had told me I wouldn't have felt so bad about it, it was hard to watch our friends and others gift you stuff, and I couldn't" it felt like I was slapped in the face each time he was handed something since I couldn't.

He smirked, "you not giving me something was the best part about this" he saw my confusion. "When my family was— well, when you lose your family the holidays become more dull, sure they can still be great and you can be happy but something about that magic just isn't the same, Helen made the cupcake because she knew it was something my mother did for me but in all honesty being outside with you, taking this walk and you not handing me something it's been my favourite part because it means I can just breathe with you, I don't need to constantly say thank you and worry about more well wishes, it means I can just be myself for a moment."

Thinking of it like that, it never occurred to me that way. Placing my hand on his, his blue eyes looked beautiful under the starlight. "I am glad you can feel that way" leaning in, I brushed my lips against his—I may not be able to gift him something but doesn't mean I couldn't still give him something small. His breath hitched as he didn't wait, his lips were on mine, and I could tell he was hungry for a deeper kiss which I allowed. Lips parting, his tongue did it's work as his hand slid around into my hair earning a groan from me which made him growl it what sounded like pleasure knowing he could easily have his way with something as simple as a touch.
But I wasn't ready, I wasn't myself fully yet and with that I pulled away pressing my forehead against his, both of us out of breath from the moment. I smiled softly at him before he could detect something was wrong, "happy birthday, Nicholas" the smile he gave me was beautiful.

"That was the best gift all day" he said leaning in pressing a kiss to my lips once more before getting up, "come on, let's finish this walk and get out of this freezing weather" he held his hand out for me, accepting it as I slid off the rock, I held onto him as we walked.
The silence between us was comforting.