Aj couldn't cook. Everyone knew that. Even he knew that. So why on God's green earth was he cooking pancakes first thing at 8:34 in the morning? He couldn't tell you. Well, he could.
Aj knew how badly he messed up yesterday. He never should've freaked out that badly and scared Niko. He knows that Niko is probably expecting some type of explanation, but he also knew himself that he wasn't going to give him one. Niko would understand. He had kicked Niko out of his room, called him a liar, basically told him he wasn't a good enough friend to comfort him. Aj knew he fucked up badly.
Pancakes weren't going to fix anything he did, Aj knew that. But maybe it would show that he actually cared? He got up 2 hours earlier than he usually did just to make sure he got this perfect. He really wanted to make sure these tasted good. Aj wasn't going to eat it himself. He knew Niko wasn't going to like that but in Aj's opinion, he had eaten way too much yesterday.
Aj had gotten all his ingredients out, already spilling the flour on the counter and dropping a mixing bowl on the floor. "Fucks sake" Aj whispered. "Why pancakes? Why couldn't this wanker's mother eat toaster waffles or something"
"Only that much sugar?" Aj said, kind of confused as to why there was such a small amount of sugar added in the recipe. " 'the sweetness of the pancake comes from the toppings' " He read out. "Fuck that" Aj said, pouring a whole ton of sugar into the bowl, mixing it in.
Aj thought he was just about done with the batter, when he noticed a chocolate bar on the counter. Hm. Niko likes chocolate, right? He stretched out his hand, trying to reach the bar at the end of the counter. Fuck, I am short. He laughed, kneeling on a stool and grabbing the chocolate. He ripped open the packet, putting it on the bare counter. He grabbed a knife and stared at the chocolate. "Yep, that's right. I'm stabbing you because you're black" Aj giggled at himself. He snapped the chocolate in half and started cutting up one half into small pieces. He scooped up the chocolate with his hands and put it in the bowl, mixing it in. He brought a pan to the flame, melted some butter and grabbed a spoon.
How do I make this circle? Aj threw the spoon onto the table and picked up the bowl. He poured a generous amount onto the pan and cleaned the side of the bowl with his fingers, scraping the batter on his hands back into the bowl. Not very hygienic but oh well. Aj turned the flame up higher, in hopes for the pancake to cook faster. His recipe had told him to check for bubbles to know when he was ready to flip the pancake. The only problem Aj had was that there was too much batter. It spread and spread until it wasn't thick anymore.
So now its thin and still not a circle. Mad.
After about 5 minutes, Aj grabbed a spoon and a knife, sticking the knife under one side of the pancake and the spoon on the other. Praying it would stay together, he flipped it around.
"Lets go!" Aj said, excited, as the pancake was whole. He let it cook on the other side for about 5 minutes before deciding it was ready to take out.
Something looked wrong to Aj. He definitely wasn't a chef, but the pancake Niko had made for him wasn't jiggling in the middle. He jabbed a knife in the middle of the pancake and checked it. Shit. No, No, no! Aj started tearing the pancake in pieces with his hands and fuck. The batter of the pancake didn't even cook in the middle. "Why has it done that?"
He pulled out his phone and asked Google:
Why is my pancake raw in the middle??
Apparently Aj had the flame too high and the pan too cold. Very contradicting but sure. Another thing he had done wrong was add too much batter in the pan.
This time, Aj kept the fire on low heat, spooned the batter out instead of poured it and only put a little bit of mixture. He saw the bubbles as a good sign and flipped it.
After about 7 minutes, Aj's first successful pancake was born. He made two more in somewhat circular shapes. He had just about enough to pour out one last, maybe smaller pancake onto the pan. By this time it was 9:47. Aj had stacked three pancakes on top of each other and grabbed the other half of chocolate and started cutting it up too for toppings. Eyes up on the pancake, checking whether it was ready to flip, Aj sliced his finger open. "UGH, FUCK!" Aj screamed. He ran to the tap, dripping blood as he went. He ran cold water under his finger.
"Shit it stings!" Blood ran down the sink endlessly. "Fuck.. burns.." Aj's eyes started to water up in pain "Don't be no pussy, Aj" Aj genuinely laughed.
Aj sniffed the air. "Oh fuck, speaking of burnt!" He pulled out a bunch of tissue, wrapping it around his finger, letting the roll drop and unravel on the floor. He ran to the pancake on the pan and quickly saw it was a lost cause. "No!" Aj turned the flame of, flipped the pancake and saw its completely burnt, charcoal like texture. "Aw..."
As if the world was mocking Aj, telling him he shouldn't be a chef, the fire alarm went off.
"Oh yeah, tell me something I don't know!" He screamed
The blood dripped out from the tissue, leaking to the floor. "Shut up! You're going to wake up Niko!" He climbed on top of the kitchen counter, hand aching, and pressed the button on the alarm in attempts to turn it off before Niko heard.
Aj's efforts proved in vain as Niko's footsteps were heard coming into the kitchen.
"What the hell are you doing in here?" Niko asked, confused
"Fuck. Hi Niko. Uh... So listen, here's the thing. Uh.." Aj was standing on the table, and somehow he only managed to be about 3 inches taller than Niko.
"Are you bleeding?!" Niko asked, concerned
"yeah but that's nothing. I'm trying to figure out how to turn this stupid alarm off" Aj went back to the button.
"Aj come here, now" Niko said sternly
"Yeah I'll be right there" Aj started dripping the blood on his finger down to his face and clothes as it was up in the air.
"Aj. Now." Niko was calm with his words but it scared Aj.
Miraculously, the alarm finally stopped beeping and Aj hopped off the table and nervously over to Niko.
"Hi.." Aj smiled
"Sit over here" Niko pulled out a chair and went into one of the kitchen cupboards. He pulled out a medical kit, picked out 2 large plasters and grabbed some tissue from the roll laid out onto the floor.
Niko was way too calm and Aj didn't like it. He was scared about what Niko was going to say to him. Niko put his hand out in front of him, asking for Aj's hand. Aj, knowing it was best not to argue, placed his hand in Niko's. He wiped all the blood on Aj's hand off and around his finger. He then rolled the tissue around his finger and squeezed it.
"Press that there. Tight" Niko told him as Niko started to work with the plaster in his hand.
Aj hated this. He was meant to be the one making Niko feel better, but now the first thing he's had to do when he wakes up is take care of Aj's irresponsible ass. Niko peeled one of the plasters off and stuck it around the cut on Aj's finger. Soon, the other one followed, lightly stuck on, making sure blood flow could still get to his finger.
Niko sighed. Aj stared at him. "Thanks"
"What time did you wake up?" Niko asked
"8:00"
"Why?"
"..."
"I'm sorry." It was 2 words but so hard for Aj to say
"Okay" Clearly Niko was angry. Aj knew he had a right to be.
"I made pancakes!" Aj smiled
"I can see that"
"Uh... want some..?"
Aj bit his tongue. He really hoped Niko would say yes. He had genuinely put in so much effort into it.
"Yeah"
Aj smiled with his teeth. He got up quickly, grabbed the chocolate sauce, drawing a cute little triangle on the top of the three pancakes and wrote 'Aj' in small at the bottom. He grabbed a glass, trying his best to ignore all the mess in the kitchen, and poured some milk into it. Bringing the plate to Niko, happily.
Niko just stared at Aj. "Why did you kick me out of your room yesterday?" Aj knew the question was coming.
"Take a bite first. Please?" Niko cut through the pancake and put it in his mouth.
"What do you think?" Aj asked, eagerly.
Niko found Aj quite cute when he was excited. But he was just so exhausted from yesterday he had no energy left in him to joke with Aj. He needed answers. Some type of explanation.
"It's really sweet"
"Oh fuck. They told me not to put too much sugar and I didn't listen. Sorry."
"It's fine. It's nice"
Niko was being very one worded with his sentences which was making Aj feel really bad.
"Why did you kick me out of your room?" Niko asked again
"Niko..." Aj didn't know what to say
"I'm not going to ask again Aj."
"I'm sorry, I wasn't feeling good."
"Chunkz help with that, did he?" Ah fuck
"Niko.. stop. Please..."
Niko stared at Aj. He then took his fork and took another bite of his breakfast. "Sit down" Niko told Aj
"I'm not-" Aj paused "I need to clean the kitchen"
"I'll do it. Come here" Niko was still being very commanding
"No way am I letting you clean my mess. Shut up and eat" Aj said
"What did I say wrong? I just don't understand it." Niko switched the topic again
"Nothing, Niko, nothing. It was genuinely my fault. I didn't understand you properly."
"Did you eat yesterday?" Niko kept changing topics
"Yeah. Half a burger and chips"
Niko nodded
"Why Chunkz?"
"No, Niko I didn't choose Chunkz. I was mad at him, so I called him. He tried to explain he didn't do what I thought he did, so he came to the house to calm me down." Aj spoke his whole truth.
"That doesn't explain why you kicked me out"
"I can't tell you.."
"Okay." Aj watched as Niko pushed his plate aside, pulled out his chair and stood up, walking away
"Niko, please!" Aj called out
"No!" Niko turned around, clearly annoyed. "I'm such a good friend to you Aj. I don't even care I am a great friend to you."
"I know" Aj put his head down
"I deserve an explanation. How could you choose Chunkz over me? Why did you even kick me out? You know how bad I felt yesterday?" Niko had started to rant.
"I genuinely cried so hard yesterday, thinking my best friend hates me. I was gonna go out and do something I would've regret for the rest of my life but Chunkz stopped me. I can see why you picked him over me, really. He's a great friend and I love him so much. But, why did I have to hear it from him that you love me?" Niko breathed in and sighed out. "This hurts Aje..."
"I... fuck... Niko I'm so sorry" Aj frowned
"Can't you say anything else?!" Niko got annoyed quickly
"I don't know what else to say!"
"Anything, Aj, anything! The pancakes were a nice gesture but I want words from you!" Niko was practically begging. "Why don't you underst-"
"I love you, Niko!" Aj squinted his eyes shut tight. He tensed his shoulders and prepared for Niko's answer
Niko stared at Aj. He stared and kept staring until he couldn't help but smile. Aj was very cute sometimes.
"I love you too Aje" Niko replied
Aj opened one eye, the next following, to be met with Niko's beautiful smile. He knew that Niko didn't understand he loved him as more than a friend, but he didn't care if it meant he got to see that pretty smile plastered on his pretty face.
"I will explain everything to you, I promise!"
Niko stared at Aj, as if waiting for a further response
"But not today..."
Niko sighed, expecting something like that.
"I swear, you'll understand one day. But just please, for now, can we move past this? I really miss you and I love being your friend and I don't think I could live without you, Niko. Please don't stop talking to me, I know I messed up and I know I was wrong and you don't need to forgive me but please don't igno-"
As Aj was rambling, Niko walked closer and closer to Aj until they were just a few inches apart from a hug. Niko lifted Aj's chin up and stared into his beautiful brown eyes. "I forgive you, Aje. And you can tell me when you're ready to tell me" Niko smiled
"Really?" Aj blushed at the closeness he had to Niko. It took everything in him not to kiss the taller man there and then, but he couldn't go against everything he said he couldn't do.
Niko nodded. "Can I hug you?" Niko never asks his friends for hugs, he usually just does it. But Aj has never liked hugs so it was a little different for him.
Aj thought. He wanted to hug Niko. Maybe not for too long, but he did. He craved some type of affection from Niko, even if it wasn't romantic. He could handle physical touch for just a couple seconds in order to hug his friend.
Aj nodded. His taller friend opened his arms. Aj slowly wrapped his arms around Niko's back, his head resting on Niko's chest. Niko put one arm around Aj's back and his other hand rested on the back of Aj's head, fingers playing with his hair. His chin rested on the top of Aj's head lightly.
Niko sighed out. He hadn't had a hug from Aj in way too long. He knew it would be long over before he got the second to even process he hugged his best friend and he was right. Aj placed his hands on Niko's chest and attempted to pull themselves apart.
Aj loved the hug. It was nice, warm, comfy, sweet. But Aj didn't think he could hug Niko for any longer without bursting out in tears. So he pulled away, knowing Niko would understand.
"Could you finish your breakfast now?" Aj asked
Niko nodded, smiling. He sat back down at his chair and picked up his knife and fork. Aj went back to the inside of the kitchen and started picking things up from the floor.
"This was really cute of you, you know?" Niko says
"Hm?"
"The pancakes. You hate cooking but you made them anyways" Niko explained
"Oh. Yeah, I figured you'd like it"
"You were right. So, was the triangle on the top meant to be a picture of you?" Niko started
"Pretty accurate, no?" Aj smiled
"Hm" Niko grabbed the chocolate sauce and Aj noticed it dripping down in a swirl motion. Niko twisted the plate around, facing it towards Aj and lifted it up a bit. "Now it's accurate"
Aj burst out laughing, seeing the attempted curly hair on the triangle. "That is bloody horror!"
Niko smiled. "Come here, Aj" Niko pointed to the seat opposite him.
Aj knew what he wanted "I can't. I'm busy"
"Fine then eat some cereal if you don't want this" Niko understood these pancakes where a bit on the sweet side which might have been putting him off a bit more than usual.
"No thanks" Aj tried to brush it off as quick as possible "This place looks like a crime scene, oh my days" Aj smiled at Niko
"Aj.."
"Niko" Aj imitated
"Eat some food."
"No." Aj kept it plain and simple
"Aj Shabeel."
"Niko Omilana" Aj smirked
Niko smiled back. "Ayaanle Shabeel"
"Nikolas Omilana" Aj decided to say something else "Hey could you hurry up and finish that?"
Niko looked up from his plate "Why?" He asked, mouth full.
"Why do you think? I need help!"
"Too bad"
"Aren't you just a gentleman" Aj changed the topic quite easily. He was glad his friend had the memory of a goldfish.
"By the way, should we make game night tonight? If everyone is free" Niko asked
"Oh right. Sorry I made us cancel it" Aj frowned
"Nah its alright, don't worry about it." Niko wanted to make sure Aj wouldn't feel guilty for being in a bad mood.
"Yeah, we can make game night tonight if everyone's down"
Niko pulled out his phone and went on the group chat.
Beta Squad Shmucks
13 Unread messages
Big fish
ofc it is im not surprised
Nigerian brother <3
bro u guys always do this
getting a bit sus if u ask me
LOLL WAT R U GUYS REALLY DOING
Big fish
kenny's onto smt fr
BODYLIGHTWEIGHT
snm that means i get to stay home
Sharky
Kenny
ur both fucked in the head
Nigerian brother <3
Come to mine Sharks. Lets have a real good time ;)
Big fish
HAHAHA OKAY
BODYLIGHTWEIGHT
MENTALLLL
Read by: Ratatouille <3
These where the message Niko got in reply to game night being cancelled. It was nothing new, Kenny and Sharky flirting as usual. Chunkz pretended like he wasn't at their place and Aj was too upset to text. No one questioned it though.
You
GUYS R U LOT FREE????
WE CAN DO GAMENIGHT TONIGHT IF U R
Niko sent the message and looked back up at Aj. To kill time, both boys cleaned up the kitchen. It took them about an hour because of the amount of mess Aj had made. Plus all the blood everywhere made it difficult to not remove off the counters without staining them.
By the time they where done, it was 12:23. The boys sat on the sofa inside and Aj checked his phone for answers.
Unread messages
Nikolini Omilama
GUYS R U LOT FREE????
WE CAN DO GAMENIGHT TONIGHT IF U R
Sharkss 🦈
hmmmmmmm
yah im free
KINGGKENNYYYY
i go wherever Sharky goes ;)
Sharkss 🦈
bit creepy no?
KINGGKENNYYYY
u think so?
Chunkzino
bro im w darkest
i aint coming
dyk how long its been since ive chilled w him?
You
bring him w u then
5 mins after
Chunkzino
omg aj acc has a brain wtf
im bringing darkest snm
Nikolini Omilama
omg aj i thought u had a rat mind in that big head of urs
Aj looked up from his phone "oi!" He threw a pillow at Niko
You
at least i have a brain giraffes r jus there for decoration
Nikolini Omilama
u basc jus called me pretty.
THANKSSS XXX
You
Now i defo didn't do that
Nikolini Omilama
u kinda did bro
KINGGKENNYYYY
bro u guys live together why tf r u texting eachother
Chunkzino
ahlie
and if u wanna text text privately like the weird fuckers u r
KINGGKENNYYYY
lol he violated
You
bro wat r we acc gonna do today? i jus clocked we dont have anything planned
Chunkzino
thas for u and niko to figure out init
You
hmmm
maybe we could
hmmmm
ijooenfkm
fDJFJOffKJHPODE
KINGGKENNYYYY
wtf?😭😭
You
NIWEIDKN
NIKO IS THE BEST HES SO HOT
NDL FOR LIFE
KINGGKENNYYYY
ofc💀
Chunkzino
typical niko
Niko, out of nowhere, jumped towards Aj on the sofa and started wrestling him for his phone. He climbed on top of him, trapping the smaller man against the sofa's armrest.
"Get off!" Aj screamed, laughing
Niko tugged harshly for Aj's phone, but his grip was too strong. Niko, seeing his advantage, tickled Aj under his arms causing him to quickly release the phone.
"YOU PRICK!" Aj tried to grab the phone but Niko just stood up and was immediately out of reach from Aj. Niko started messaging the group chat on Aj's phone for fun.
Aj jumped back on the sofa and launched himself onto Niko's back. He wrapped his arms around Niko's neck and tried to kick his legs in attempts to trip him over.
KINGGKENNYYYY
now neither of them r typing
theyre probably getting it DOWNNN
Chunkzino
Kenny
Not everyone is as fucked as u
KINGGKENNYYYY
and sharks hehe
Niko attempts to pull Aj's arms off from strangling him. He eventually shakes the smaller man off and drops him to the floor. Niko, with ease, picked Aj up and threw him on the sofa "You wanna go?!" Niko asked, out of breath. "Because I'll go" he laughed
Aj got up from the sofa, face hot and red from fighting. "Lets go!"
The two boys ran towards each other, wrestling. Niko flipped Aj over and head locked him in his arms. "I thought you said you don't fight!" Aj choked
"Its fun when the other person isn't trying" Niko smiled. He dropped Aj to the floor, arm still around his neck.
Aj struggled to breathe but refused to tap out. Niko was clearly winning so Aj decided to do what he does best. Cheat. He bit down on Niko's arm, hard.
"AH!" Niko screamed, pushing Aj off of him. "Cheater!" Niko glared at him
"Not cheating if you win" Aj ran off
Niko chased after him. Two grown men chasing and wrestling each other around the house. Hitting each other with pillows and stopping for water breaks. The two acted like teenage girls.
3665 WORDS HAHAHA THIS ONES KINDA LONG. NEXT CHAPTER IS GONNA B ABT THE GAME NIGHT. BE EXCITED BC SHIT IS BOUT TO GO DOWN.