Title: Schadenfreude ... or not.
Summary: Nicky's been going to her family's restaurant since it opened three months ago. Now that he's homeless and he's stayed with every other person on Q, he wants a place to stay. And he knows Anna's his only chance of not living on the streets. Until, of course, Rod asks him to live with him again.
A/N: I own nothing, except for Anna. And the restaurant. And her family.
He hated asking her for help. He had before, but he hated to do it. He had to, though, and he wanted a place to live
"Hey, Anna?" he said as the waitress passed his table.
"Yeah, Nicky?"
"Could I stay with you and your brother for a while? Rod kicked me out at Brian and Christmas Eve's wedding, remember?"
"Oh, yeah. I'm sure that Matt won't mind. He loves you, you know that."
"Anna, keep moving! This isn't social hour!" her brother called from three tables away.
Anna grinned, looking over at her brother. "Come back after work. I'll talk to Matt during break. More Coke?"
"Thanks, Anna."
"It's nothing, Nicky."
***
Nicky shivered as he stood outside of the door to the restaurant, waiting for his friend and her brother to come out and take him to their apartment. He hated New York winters, even though he'd been there all his life. He watched the couple at the cash register – his friends – as Anna laughed at something Matt said, and for some reason it reminded him of Brian and Christmas Eve's wedding, which in turn, reminded him of when Rod had kicked him out.
"I'm sorry, Rod. What I meant to say was, I'd still be your buddy, even if you were gay," he said, stopping a few feet away from his friend.
Rod took a shaky breath before saying, "Nicky … I want you out of the apartment when I get there."
"What?" Nicky said disbelievingly. "You're kicking me out?!" He laughed nervously, half hoping Rod would change his mind, but no such luck.
"You can live in the park for all I care!" Rod looked back at Nicky before running off.
Anna looked up and saw Nicky standing at the door. She grinned, saying something to her brother, and started towards the door. He smiled as she unlocked the door, opening it enough to let him in, calling back to her brother, "Be lucky I love you, Matt." She sighed, shaking her head. "Nicholas Michael Verde. You haven't changed a bit since I last saw you."
"Which was what, twenty minutes ago?"
"Oh, shut up, Nicky."
"Can I thank you for doing this?"
"It's nothing, Nicky," Matt called from the cash register as he locked it up, before stuffing the key in his pocket and walking over to them. "Nicky, we're glad you asked. You need a good place to be. Rod really shouldn't have kicked you out."
"Ah, it's nothing. He'll come around."
Anna smiled, hugging her friend. "Cone on, Nicky. We need to get home."