NOTE:
- Cover/chapter photo is just random.
- I got lazy explaining the setting again so I'm adding more photos. It's just a couple of readers anyway. They won't mind. Plus, this is the exact thing I had in mind anyway
- Inspiration/source for the place is Palms' hotel, located in Las Vegas. It's the Two-story sky villa (I fucking love it)
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POV: 3rd Person (I'm still playing around with POVs)
Nero's eyes slowly fluttered open and blinked a couple of times to get rid of his blurry vision. His head had stopped thumping but there was still the ringing shrill in his ears, only quiet and tolerable. His mouth and throat felt so dry, it hurt him to swallow. He looked around and he came to the conclusion that he had no idea where the fuck he was but he sure as hell wouldn't mind ever leaving. The bedroom was absolutely gorgeous and he was astounded by the circular bed he was laying. He sat up (with a struggle) and glanced over the side table. The digital clock was reading the time as 9:06pm (Holy shit, I nearly slept for 7 hours), his Harry Potter shaped glasses was resting with no damage and a glass of water, accompanied with painkillers was also there. As suspicious as I am right now, that glass of water looks really appealing right now and I wouldn't mind dying from poison. It's not a pathetic way to die. So he decided to take the stranger's offerings after putting on his glasses. He then got out of bed and began exploring the bedroom because it was too pretty to just walk past and ignore. He noticed there was a curtain drawn closed over a large, windowpanes that faced into the house but he doesn't touch it because it just didn't seem as appealing as the walking wardrobe.
Nero eventually left his dream bedroom and was immediately faced with a walkway going left/right and glass railings that were protecting the void that looked down to the lower floor(s). The railing itself was accompanied by golden handrails, creating a beautiful accent and through the glass, you could slightly see the sight downstairs (it's still a bit obscured since Nero was still near the bedroom doors). But the sight was enough for Nero to internally think, No fucking way... He moved closer to the barricade until he had his arms rest on top of it, where he was struck by complete and utter awe. (A/N the following photos is what Nero saw in a bird's eye view ish. It's kind of confusing since some photos have voids and others don't but work with me here. There aren't that many chairs at the bar and it's not as long. The pool is located behind the bar (entrance is also next to the bar). The living room is also next to the bar if you couldn't figure out already and the kitchen is behind the dining space in one of the photos. This place is too beautiful to just explain with my shitty words and if I tried, this chapter would be 15K words)
Nero was in such awe, he couldn't help saying out loud, "Ooooooh my mother fucking Jesus fucking holy shit where the haaaa what the fucking hell where the fuck I am dead confirmed. God had forgiven me for all my sins and sent me to heaven. The great, the merciful." Nero finally noticed the presence that had been looming behind him for the last minute and promptly stiffened up. The company leaned forward, head close to his left ear and places his right arm on Nero's right waist, causing the latter to immediately go on defence. There was a warm exhale down his neck and he successfully managed to avoid shivering. The deep but recognisable British voice breezily announced, "You know... I've seen a wide range of reactions to this place but I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever gotten this type of reaction. I don't know whether to discern it as a good or bad thing." Now that, caused a shiver down Nero's spine.
Nero's eyes enlarged drastically and 180s so fast, that you could hear the whipping sound (unfortunately, the hand on the waist dropped in the process). He looked up to meet the familiar golden pool known as his eyes and noticed how there were barely any space between them. Nero breathily questioned, "Leo?"
"I do believe that is my name." was the entertained response of the other man.
Nero finally took in another gorgeous sight beheld in front of him. Leo was wearing nothing but trousers and a towel resting behind his neck, draped over his shoulders. Nero felt his breath hitch as well as his brain as he began savouring in the sight. The man's golden brown hair was damp, darkening the hue a bit but still keeping the majestic shine to it. There was droplets of water running down his lightly tanned chest, all the way down his VERY DEFINED abdomen and hiding away in the hem of his trousers (Nero unconsciously licked his bottom lips and his mouth dried up). As the glasses-wearing man focused on another droplet streaming down, his attention was captures by a dark, red and black ink, located on his right pec, reaching down just above his abs and wrapping around the side of his body. Nero immediately commentated in his head, holy fucking shit he has a tattoo of an intricate phoenix... it looks really hot on him. It shouldn't look that hot but god damn, does he pulls it off or what. I wonder if he has any other tattoos I can li- I mean look at.
However, it wasn't like Nero was the only one who was shamelessly eye-fucking. Leo was also returning the favour. Just more subtly. Turned out, Leo seemed to have a wearing-my-own-clothes kink and he only just discovered it or at least, Nero invoked it. The large graphic tee was nowhere close to fitting the shorter man so it was slipping, revealing his pale, lightly freckled shoulders. The bandage on his neck remained and the urge to rip it off grew with the tee highlighting its presence. Not only that but the shirt was too long, reaching past Nero's waist and resting just above his knees. It was so long, that the shorts that were given were covered up, giving the illusion he was wearing nothing underneath. Leo found it very appealing. I think it's time I have a serious think about my sexuality and my level of perverseness. Don't get him started on the face. The combination of Nero's bed hair, slightly skewed frames and large eyes, dusted with a light pink and freckles on his cheeks, was bloody adorable and all he wanted to do was snog his face till he was breathless. It was too much for Leo to handle and he felt his restraints loosening. So instead, he took the upper hand and broke the enchantment the glassed man seemed to be in, with a smug tone.
"Are you really going to check me out every single time I'm not in my usual suit and tie?"
"Yes." That accidentally slipped out of Nero's mouth and he was quick to slap both his hands over his mouth. As Leo howled in laughter at the unexpected response, the Nero's blood rushed and crashed against his cheeks like the Niagara Falls. He knew the redness was going to take over his pale face, his ears and down his neck. As the CEO began to calm down from his laughing fit, Nero tried to redeem his honour. "I mean- I didn't mean that. I was meant to say no."
Leo sent him a disbelieving look. "You were?"
"Yes?"
"Are you telling me or questioning yourself?"
"Yes. I was meant to say no."
"So you weren't checking me out just then?" Leo did his classic eyebrow raise
"I... no?" Nero was fiddling with his fingers in nervousness and embarrassment.
"You don't sound sure again." Leo sent a smirk in the small man's way.
The asshole is making fun of me and I'm just digging myself a bigger hole. With that in mind, Nero gave in and regain some of his confidence again. "Oh for fucks sake you know I was checking you out, you asshole. I mean which gay man wouldn't ogle at one of the hottest bachelors of the decade that is currently half-naked in a very nice looking penthouse?"
On a more random note, did he change me? Oh my god, did he see me naked? Nero was panicking at the back of his head.
This time, it was Leo's turn to gape and even malfunction a bit. Not only had his employee admitted to his attraction (at least physical) for the taller man, he just admitted to the question that'd been circling Leo's head for weeks now. "... you're gay?"
Nero returned a hard look. "Seriously? Out of my confession, THAT'S what catches your attention? As if that wasn't obvious enough."
"Well, yes. That's the only thing that grabbed my attention I'm already used to being checked out and I know I'm hot so I didn't need you to confess to know that. Plus, you've already done it like 3 times. And for your information, I've had very straight men check me out the way you do."
The other man presented him with an I'm-done-with-you face. "Wow. How humble of you." His shoulders then perched up when an important question came to mind. "Enough about your narcissistic ass. Where the fuck am I? This place sure as hell isn't mine."
Leo, as curious as he was about the topic of Nero's sexuality, decided to let it pass and answer the man's new question. "No, it is indeed not your place but it is mine." Nero once again gapes in shock, glancing back and forth between Leo and the lookout void... 5 times.
"You're fucking with me."
"Nope."
"... does being a CEO really get you this much money?"
"That's what you decide to ask?"
"Good point. Don't answer that. More importantly, why am I here?"
"Better question. That's a slightly longer question to answer while standing so why don't I get us both a drink and sit down to talk?"
"I... yeah, alright. That doesn't sound too bad."
Leo hung his towel over the railing and walked towards the stair. Nero followed soon after. "So what drink would you like?"
Before he answered though, he squeaked out, "Are you going to be shirtless the entire time?"
Leo stopped on the elegant, marble staircase (Nero: He has a marble obsession confirmed) and looked back over his shoulder. He inquired with an undertone of amusement, "Problem?"
Nero grinded out, "None." But quietly mumbled to himself, "This man is going to be the death of me. I'm going to die a pathetic death. Death from nosebleed."
The response was a knowing smirk and a simple question. "What would you like to drink then?"
"Did you undress me?" Nero accidentally blurted out. It was really bothering him and it kind of slipped out. His face immediately turned darker and he looked away from the other man.
Leo was clearly caught off guard and nearly slipped down one of the steps. He quickly regained compsure and cleared his throat. "I... no, it didn't undress you."
So it was possibly a completely random stranger. Like his maid or something. I don't know if that's better or worse. Instead of saying all that though, Nero simply said, "Cool."
Cool? Leo was befuddled with the response but he didn't want the incoming awkwardness to settle in properly, so he quickly reverted the conversation to what it was originally. "So... drink?"
Nero got the hint and cleared his throat. "Hot chocolate sounds nice... with a dash of rum. Always wanted to try the combination."
"Pfft. How eccentric. It can be done though"
A smile formed on Nero's lips.
Once they reached the bottom floor, the owner of the complex announced, "I'm going to make your drinks in the bar. Feel free to roam around and check out the place. You look like you really want to."
Nero's eyes lit up like it was Christmas day and practically bounced up and down on the spot, before dashing to the other side of the penthouse to explore. The action and excitement gave rise to Leo's small chuckle as he walked to the kitchen to whip up their drinks.
♤♧♡♢
After 15 minutes, there were two hot chocolates with a dash of rum sitting on the bar's counter. Leo dried his hands and searched for the other company. It didn't take long, however, because Leo immediately sees a standing outline by the pool. He quietly opened the entrance to the pool balcony and leaned against the doorway, hands in pockets, observing what Nero was animatedly talking to himself about by the pool. He could only see the side profile of his employee but it was enough to see due to the blue lights of the infinity pool, which was giving him an angelic glow.
"... bet he brings all his dates and playthings by the pool. He then probably tells them to sit by the pool, legs dipped in while he glides into the water himself. He will resume back to seducing the girl and goading her to enter the pool, with or without girls. Oh my god, he totally skinny-dipped with some of them. Anyway, if the girl isn't in by that point, I admire her resistance but I bet he has one killer line that gets all the girls in the pool as well as get into their pants. He most likely goes to the end of the pool, looks out to the view and says some shit like the view is nice but it can't be fully appreciated without you. Or something along the lines of that. And then they fuck. Yeah, that sounds about right. In conclusion, I can never enter this pool because I'd probably get an STD." Nero nodded to himself proudly for convincing himself out of jumping into the pool.
"Do you really think that bad of me? Ne. Ro." Leo was amused at first but now he was amused AND ticked off. Does he seriously think I'm that much of a douchebag? I'd rather be streaking through a world cup final's game than do anything remotely close to what he just re-enacted.
Nero flinched hard at the unnoticed voice (HOW DOES HE KEEP DOING THAT? MY HEIGHTENED SENSES KEEP GETTING NULLIFIED BY HIM. IT'S HURTING MY PRIDE!), gasping out an "oh shit" and losing balance. He was about to fall into the pool so Leo took quick, large steps forwards to stop him but halfway through the trek, Nero managed to regain his balance (and he moved away from the edge a bit). Nero glanced at Leo and quickly looked away, flustered. Once again, he tried to save himself from his predicament by saying, "That wasn't- it's not what it- I don't- *sigh* I was just saying an example. To convince myself out of getting into the pool."
"Is that so...?"
"Yes! I don't think you're douchey like that." Or else I would've never been attracted you in the first place, hot or not. Ok maybe only physically attracted. You're fucking drop dead gorgeous. "Anyway, I'm going to go to the edge of the pool now and jump off."
Leo chortled at that. "Now, don't do that. If you swim through, you'll get an STD." He snickered at his own joke.
Nero just groaned in embarassment. "I'll just fucking fly over... Actually, now that I mention it. How did I get here? I remember Aiden being at MegCorp as well but I know the twig is too weak to carry 5kg dumbbells, let alone me. Wait, where is Aiden?"
"All will be relieved soon but to answer the first question, I carried you here. Also it was Aiden who undressed you."
Nero blinked twice. "You did?" My naked chastity has been saved.
"That's what I said."
Aiden was there. I need to ask. The shorter man took in a hesitant inhale. "Just out of curiosity... how... did you carry me exactly?"
Leo shrugged nonchalantly. "In my arms. Princess style. Or was it bridal? It was the easiest"
Nero paled into sheet white. "... And Aiden was there?"
"Yes. Why...?"
Nero simply ignored the question. "And he saw all of it?"
"Yes?"
Nothing was said for 10 seconds before Nero monotonously declared, "Yep. I'm killing myself right now." He robotically walked towards the edge of the pool but before he could jump in, he was tugged back by the elbow and his back crashef against something solid and warm. Arms wrapped around his waist from behind and held him tight. He'd be probably unnerved out of his mind if the only thing that was on his mind wasn't jumping off the building. Nero persistently struggled and squirmed in Leo's grip but he gave no leeway.
"Leo, let me go! I need to die!"
Leo sternly yet amusedly responded back next to the struggling man's ears. "Unfortunately, I can't let you do that. Was being in my arms such a bad thing?"
"No, being carried by you is fine. A dream in fact. My issue is that I need to escape judgement and death is the only way."
Leo was delightedly shocked by the confession but covered it with smugness. "A dream you say? And what judgement?"
"Aiden's judgement/torment..." Nero froze once it registered what he said earlier, redness on his face turning a darker shade. My stupid fucking filter is broken. I want a refund. He resumed struggling again with renewed energy. "Ok, I seriously need to leave this world. Like pronto. Too much time has been lost."
All of a sudden, Nero felt a warm, wet sensation dragging from the bottom to the tip of the back of his left ear. He immediately stilled and tried to process what the fuck just happened.
"Oh? You have a lot of holes in your ear. Do you have multiple piercings as well?"
Nero completely ignored the golden hair's question and shrieked out, "DID YOU JUST LICK MY EAR?!" He was absolutely outraged and slightly turned on. His face was definitely a new shade of deep red, with his ears emitting temperatures similar to a furnace.
"It was the only way to get you to stop. Your wriggling began prosing another problem for me."
"WHAT PROBLEM COULD BE SO BAD THAT YOU HAD TO LICK ME?!" As if on cue, Nero felt something kind of stiff in contact with his lower back. Did I... cause that? It was the trigger to finally realise the position they were finally in. Leo had his arms around him, tightly. Nero had been gripping the other man's arms due to the previous struggle. The taller man's head was next to his, chin nearly resting on Nero's shoulder. His heart was going at 200 BPM and there was so much blood in Nero's head now, the lightheaded created a dumbfounded answer.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
It became quiet after that, with only the wind whistling away and the distant noises of the city traffic. Leo's grip loosened around Nero's waist but he made no move to release the shorter man. Instead, he chose to make himself more comfortable and rest his chin on Nero's shoulder, with the rest of his body relaxing behind Nero which brought in more warmth around the latter. Both men looked out into the distance, appreciating the view (in Nero's case, reprocessing everything that happened the past 10 minutes). The peaceful silence was soon broken by the jet-black haired man's stupefied remark.
"But you're straight."
The vibrations of Leo's chuckle was felt by Nero's body and ran another shiver (of excitement) down his spine. "Apparently, I'm not. I found out quite recently myself if I'm quite frank."
"Oh. Ok." Nero didn't know what to say to that.
The comfortable silence was back once again and both of them still didn't move away from each other. Nero was no way in hell moving because he believed that it would never again so he was savouring it as much as he could. He's probably just swept up in the moment or something. He also really enjoyed human contact... consensual human contact that is. Leo on the other hand didn't want to move away not because he was swept up in the moment but due to the fact that he was also enjoying the man in his arm. Which was odd because he's never the PDA or contact type, even with his previous lovers but for some reason, Nero gave him constant urges to cuddle him. All the time. It's probably got to do with the fact that he either looks adorable or angelic all the time. There isn't a single moment where he doesn't look enchanting.
The pleasant quietness was soon broken by a snort coming out of Nero, followed by quiet laughter. Leo frowned in confusion and inquired the random outburst. "What?"
"I knew being shirtless was a bad idea."
Leo was now really puzzled. "Huh?"
"You're cold, aren't you?" Nero looked up at the giant man, moving slightly sideways to comfortably turn his neck. There was a self-satisfied smirk resting on his lips and it deeply offended Leo. With a scoff, the man replied back,
"How ridiculous. Of course I'm not. A little cold does nothing to a fire user."
Nero's face turned deadpanned. "You have goosebumps all over your arms and torso." Leo looked down to his arm to find that indeed, he did have the stupid bumps overtaking his body. He cleared his throat in embarrassment and looked away. Still looking at the model of man, little giggles emerged out of Nero, leaving behind a soft smile on his face. Leo looked back at Nero with a sweet, genuine smile of his own and they had a moment.
"Let's go back inside. My hot chocolate is getting cold," whispered Nero, as if to avoid breaking the delicate atmosphere.
Leo whispered back just as carefully. "Sounds like a plan."