What About Now (ShNicky Fanfiction)

CHAPTER 9: Swear It Again

"Hey! I'm not the one who has his back on me the whole time! You've been cooped up in Shane's arm the whole night! You have no right to complain!"

Nicky's eyes were wide in shock after Brian just announced out loud what happened last night, and started beating Brian up. Then Shane started laughing. Really hard.

Mark and Kian looked at each other, then to his mates. "Okay? Something is definitely wrong here!' said Mark.

"This scene is very troubling." Kian added with a grimace.

Breakfast went on with banters and laughter. Nicky's face was so red all the way. He swore, all of Brian's waking moments were all dedicated to either annoy him, tease him or embarrass him to death. It seemed like he made it his life mission to make Nicky's life as chaotic as it can be. He was able to take a breather when Brian's 'teasing target' changed to Mark, who was as easily flustered as he was, or more. He was able to take his breakfast in peace, just watching the others getting embarrassed by Brian's mouth. It was a good change once in awhile, being just an audience. And while eating, Nicky can now see Shane looking at him every now and then. Shane would wink at him and smile childishly, and it was really hard not to return it. His smile was just contagious, Always is. Then he would feel Shane's foot kicking him a bit from under the table. He would glare at Shane and kick him back, but Shane would just retaliate, a bit harder than the first. The kicking battle lasted for a while, until Nicky made a mistake of kicking Brian's leg. That turned Brian's attention to him.

"Missed me?" Brian asked him.

Nicky groaned. My peaceful time is over, he thought. Brian started poking him in the side, making Nicky stir on his seat with every touch. Shane must've liked the idea of poking, as he started poking Nicky on the other side too.

Great! Now there are two Brian. Nicky thought.

"Louis will be here in a minute." Kian interrupted them; still looking at his phone as he read Louis's message, while Mark was still chortling, looking at Nicky's discomfort.

"Grand. We can finally get out of here." Brian said, clearly bored. Finally stopping in assaulting Nicky's side.

Nicky stood up as the others did. They all decided to wait for Louis outside the hotel. Everyone was excited to start the day. This will be their starting line of their career, and everyone was looking forward to it. Today, they will hear their debut single. The song that will change everything for them. Nicky's mind was so occupied with that thought, that he was unable to notice Shane standing beside him, not until Shane slung an arm around his shoulder, and pulled him closer. Nicky yelp in surprise. The reaction seemed to fill Shane with delight as he started to chuckle and held Nicky tighter, and pulled him closer to him. Nicky elbowed Shane in the gut, freeing himself from Shane's arm. Shane groaned in pain and clutched his stomach. He looked up to Nicky with the best puppy eyes he's got, but Nicky just raised a brow at Shane, asking him mentally what he was doing. Shane just shook his head, and just muttered 'this kid's temper really' and straightened up. Then he clutched his arm around Nicky again, on his neck this time, and caught him in a headlock. Then he dragged him outside the hotel, ruffling his hair into a mess, as he laughed and watched Nicky groan in displeasure as he tried to pry Shane's arm away.

"Did something happen last night?" Mark asked Brian.

"Besides the knocking ghost? Nothing much. Why?"

"Nothing. There's just something different between those two." Mark said, nudging his head towards Shane and Nicky's direction.

"Like?"

"It's hard to pinpoint it. But don't you notice the difference?"

"Is it a good difference? Or bad difference?" Brian asked, his eyebrows raised.