No Water Before Bed
This may or may not have been inspired by true events :I
(BLD)
Nick stretched his back, an audible crack emitting at the arch. He sighed deeply to himself as he subtly smiled.
Last night, he and Ellis went through a couple rounds. It had been fucking amazing to say the least, and as he sipped his mug of coffee that morning, he contemplated seeing if Ellis wanted to go again. There was one thing stopping him though, just one little itty bitty, prepubescent thing.
"Uncle Niiiick, you're out of eggs."
Nick rolled his eyes, getting up from his lean on the doorframe to the living room where he watched his lover put his shoes on, sitting on the couch. He made his way to the kitchen where Mathew, or Mat, like how he wanted to be called now-a-days, was digging through his fridge. Nick's sister needed him to be watched for a couple days while she traveled for business, and Nick was happy to oblige, now that he actually gave a fuck about his family again after the apocalypse. Mat and Julia had been the first family members he'd seen after they'd all been rescued. They were in San Diego, with friends, evacuated from their home in Chicago and taken all the way to California.
And actually, it had been a coincidence when they crossed paths.
Nick and Ellis had undoubtedly decided to stay together, and were searching out a new home for the both of them. At this point, Nick hadn't even been thinking about his family, and if they were Ok, he just wanted a place to call his own and finally start a life worth living. It seemed he felt it was too late to rekindle the relationships with them he himself had destroyed.
It had happened when Nick and Ellis were driving down the business area of San Diego. Nick had been about ready to pull into the parking lot of a restaurant for lunch when he slammed on the breaks. If not for Ellis' seat belt, he'd been sent right through the windshield, but he had to put his palms to the dash as he lurched forward. Thankfully there hadn't been anyone behind him, so when Nick suddenly burst out of the car, no one rear ended them.
Ellis was shocked Nick would just up and run out of the car without so much as a word, so he hurriedly got out and ran after him. It was becoming apparent Nick was running to someone, determined to cross the street over to a blue SUV with a woman standing just right outside of it.
It had taken Ellis aback… It was odd how at first, he'd felt… jealousy. In his mind, this had been a woman from Nick's past, a woman Ellis didn't want Nick knowing now. What if this woman took away what he'd so painstakingly worked so hard to get?
But that jealousy was wiped away when Ellis realized this could be someone important to Nick, and not some fling. So he followed, hoping to get to the bottom of it before he drove himself crazy with assumptions. It was only moments later that Ellis witnessed something he'll never forget. At first the woman had been frightened when Nick very suddenly drew her into a tight hug from behind, screaming even, but then all Nick had to do was, "Julia, it's me!" and turned her around in his arms. The woman gasped, looking up into Nick's green eyes, eyes that looked so much like her own.
And that's when Ellis realized Nick had a sister.
The two then began to cry, holding each other as they repeated how much they'd missed them, and how they didn't know if the other had even survived the apocalypse. It was beautiful to see this reunion, and Ellis swore he hadn't seen Nick this happy. Not even the day they were allowed to step off the quarantine ships.
Eventually, the three of them went and sat down at a restaurant to catch up and introduce. Ellis was thrilled to meet Nick's older sister, and was glad she had been accepting of their relationship when Nick finally let her in.
Though, it was becoming clearer and clearer that it hadn't really been much of a secret to Julia about Nick's sexuality… because she kept making jokes that surprised him when Nick didn't get offended.
It was also fun to see part of Nick in Julia, because she was just as snide and sarcastic, though she was defiantly more intrigued when it came to his stories, whereas Nick would only give him the usual non-committal 'Mmhm's and 'Right's, every now and then as he would tell his tale. She had a laugh that was a lot like Nick's, and her lips would cock up to the side in that same kind of smirk Nick would give him.
Ellis didn't know what it was, but meeting Julia had been a mind-blowing experience. Near the end of the lunch, Julia told Nick where she was living, and begged him to come by. Nick of course agreed, and Ellis was starting to wonder if what he'd done in the past was really all that bad.
Whatever it was, he hadn't heard a word about it, or maybe it was never discussed in front of him.
But Ellis liked to think that after the apocalypse, and not knowing if they had lived or not, the two siblings found themselves not caring and only relieved that the other was ok.
Not a day later, Nick and Ellis were at Julia's house, and Ellis witnessed yet another reunion, where Nick saw his nephew Mat after so many years. They hugged, and Mat had told Nick that he'd truly thought he'd died. Nick was touched when Mat told him he was glad he didn't.
Ellis was quick to learn that Mat had problems communicating his true emotions, a lot like how Nick was in the beginning of the apocalypse, but they all knew in the boys smile, and the moisture in his eye, he was truly happy to see his uncle alive and well.
Mat was 16, had sandy blond hair, unlike his mother who had the same dark shade of brown as Nick, taking it up from his dad, but still had the familiar green eyes. He looked a lot like his mother in the face, but behaviorally, he was more docile, and quiet. But that only meant that when he did talk, it was worth listening to, because he would either crack a good joke, or give his two cents on the situation.
He was sarcastic, but not snide, and was actually more interested in what Ellis had to say than any of them. He knew a lot about cars, and would love to talk to Ellis about all makes and models for hours if they'd let them. He guessed Mat took up those traits from his father. As the day grew on, Mat was soon starting to question why Nick was 'letting' Ellis live with him.
Mat was confused, because Nick and Ellis could afford to get separate homes, and that Nick didn't need a…roommate.
That's where the adults started snickering, and that only made Mat all the more confused.
Now as Nick sauntered into the kitchen, he smiled softly to himself, knowing he probably wouldn't give up this time with his nephew for the world.
"That's what Ellis is about to do. He's getting lunch meat too, for sandwiches." He informed his nephew, leaning against the bar of the kitchen, facing his back.
"Oh…" was Mat's reply, closing the fridge, "I guess I'll wait till he gets back to make breakfast." He deduced quietly to himself. It was touching that Mat wanted to make them all breakfast, but Nick could see he didn't know what he was doing when he was around the stove.
"Yea, and I guess I'm gonna have to help you, seeing as how your mom doesn't want you around open flame." Nick joked, taking a sip of his coffee thereafter.
Mat turned and narrowed his eyes at him, "Real funny." Then he turned back around to grab a drinking glass out of the cabinet.
"Oh, that reminds me…" Mat spoke up once again, looking to Nick. The gambler raised a brow expectantly.
"I got up last night to get a glass of water…"
Before Mat could get any further, Nick automatically knew what this conversation was going to turn into, "Mat, listen…" Nick began, an amused smirk curling his lip as he began to chuckle. He wasn't embarrassed, but he knew Mat would be.
"No, no, it's no big deal, just uh… warn me when you…run out of water." Mat's eyes squinted in just the slightest when he spoke the last part, sending a message to Nick in the only way he knew how without going into too much detail to the situation.
Nick bit his lip as he tried not to laugh, putting his fist to his chin as he waited for Mat to continue.
"I hate getting up in the middle of the night to get water for there not to be any… making me walk all the way back to my room empty handed." Mat alluded effortlessly.
The funniest part of the whole situation was the purified water dispenser sat just in front of the short hallway that lead to the master bedroom, Nick and Ellis' room, so Nick could only imagine the look on Mat's face when he tried to get water last night…
An image that only made Nick burst out hysterically; wobbling in his lean on the bar, "Mat, Im so sorry…" he managed through his fit.
Mat shook his head shortly, "No need to be sorry, just warn me next time." He then left the kitchen, just as blank faced as when he entered.
Nick was still laughing when Ellis came up to him, "Nick what's so funny? And why'd Mat think we ain't got any water- I went and filled the thing yesterday-" "He heard us fucking." Nick interrupted, his face a shade of red from all his laughter.
Though Ellis' face turned red for a different reason, "Aw, hell…" he cursed, frowning to himself as he clasped a palm to his face.