Nize It

Oh Shit, Nize It

     The two boys sat across from each other at the table, staring down, unwilling to make eye contact. Blaze took a deep breath, biting the bullet and speaking first, "So what's the deal? You like me or not? Nico's head snapped up in shock as he stumbled over his words. Blaze, growing impatient with Nico's sputtering egged him on, "You can just spit it out."

     "This is really straightforward," Nico said as he looked down at his feet.

     "I just want to get this over with," Blaze sighed, tapping his foot as he watched Nico continue to crumble under pressure. "So it's not the case?" Blaze concluded. Nico's eyes widened as he desperately denied the allegation. "So it is? Make up your mind," Blaze narrowed his eyes at the boy across from him.

     Nico began to apologize before cutting himself off, "You're putting me on the spot," he accused. Blaze rolled his eyes, muttering about how it's not that hard.

     "Fine, maybe you'll have a good answer tomorrow," Blaze stood up from the table abruptly and headed for the exit to the cafe. As he was walking outside, Nico chased after him, calling his name. "What is it?"

     Nico looked at the ground sheepishly, "Well... We live together."

     "True, well, okay." They walked together in uncomfortable silence, both reflecting on the prior conversation that was flipping their friendship upside down. Blaze clutched his empty hot chocolate cup, "Well, I'm done with this," he tossed the plastic cup to the side.

     Nico gasped, "You just littered."

    "You got a problem with it?" Nico looked away awkwardly, not responding. They reached the doors to their apartment, and Nico excused himself to go to bed, pushing past Blaze. Blaze watched him head to bed before deciding to go out drinking.

     As he walked into the bar, the bartender recognized him immediately. Blaze casually asked for the usual: two beers, offering to put it on his tab to pay back later. The bartender, being used to this, refused. Blaze was beside himself, filled with rage from the earlier conversation gone wrong. Simply promising to pay back his tab wasn't enough anymore.

     Desperate for a drink, Blaze made a deal with the bartender. If he got drunk from one beer, he had to pay for the drink, but if he didn't, it was on the house. Something important to know about Blaze is he is the definition of a lightweight. Thus, one drink later, Blaze was sick and throwing up on the lawn of his neighbors, unsure of where he even was anymore.

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     Back at the house, Nico woke up with a start. His Blaze senses were tingling again. He looked around to discover Blaze was nowhere to be found, immediately realizing his roommate had gone out drinking again. He sighed, unable to do anything about the situation. He reluctantly settled back into bed.

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     Blaze stumbled around on the apartment building's staircase, throwing up on neighbors' doors and causing a disturbance. Once he finally made it to his apartment, he flung the door open and haphazardly jumped into bed. Nico's bed.

     By morning, the boys were unknowingly snuggled into one another, finding comfort in the warmth. Nico felt the sunlight shine onto his face from the massive window behind them, waking up with squinched eyes. Confused at the abnormal heat, he turned his head to see Blaze curled into him. "Holy shit," Nico yells, slamming a hand over his mouth as to not wake his sleeping friend. He made a move to get out of bed, but Blaze gripped onto him, pulling him into a tight hug that pinned Nico down.