a/n: i'd like to first say that nothing is mentioned about the living arrangements of anybody but tawni and sonny. so i just assumed that grady and nico would live in apartments, too. and that they're roommates, because that services the story so well. also, i don't watch sonny with a chance that much and only started because this pairing stole my heart.
It goes without saying, Grady thinks, that he loves Nico. They're best friends. They do everything together. It's just how they are.
And it's not like they're in love. That's just gross. It's strictly platonic... right?
*
The first time Grady ever thinks something is different is during the rehearsal for a sketch.
Nico and Sonny are dating and Tawni plays the part of the crazy mom that breaks them up.
He's watching them run through it with Marshall. It starts out with Sonny's hand in Nico's and them walking to the front door. He lands a kiss on her cheek before Tawni, a in ridiculous frizzy red wig, wrenches the door open.
As soon as Nico's lips touch Sonny's cheek Marshall leans over and asks, "Are you okay, kid?" and it's not until Tawny ruins the moment and Grady unclenches his fists that he realizes what Marshall is talking about.
*
Okay, the Murderer of Darkness Castle thing isn't even his fault. Well, It's his idea, and he's pretty much the plan-maker where sneaking into the rated-r movie is concerned, and Nico probably would have left with him after the lady got her head pulled off in the first scene, but Nico hadn't put a stop to any of it. Therefore, Grady is not to blame.
And it's 100% the fault of the movie when he sneaks into Nico's room in their apartment and tells him, "I'm not scared."
Nico purses his lips, half asleep, and says, "Mmhmm," but he rolls over and offers the other half of his bed to Grady, who climbs in and squirms around until Nico cut him off with a "For the love of Pete!" and threw an arm across his chest to still him.
When the alarm clock sounds in the morning Nico is half on top of him with their legs intertwined and Grady's arm wrapped snugly around his waist. It might have been easier to play off, but Grady slept in nothing aside from pajama pants and Nico in boxers.
Removing his face from Grady's neck, Nico cleared his throat. "I'll, uh, I'll go make some breakfast." and he untangled himself and left the bedroom in record time.
"Captain Crunch?" Grady called out hopefully, wondering why his heart was beating so damn fast.
*
He doesn't know what exactly it is, but ever since he saw Nico mostly naked and stretched out on top of him, he feels funny whenever he looks at him. They try to avoid each other as subtly as possible, existing near each other but only speaking when their lives depended on it.
He's halfway through figuring out a sketch where they're all dressed as noses when Nico stands in front of him. "We should converse," he says.
"But I'm ignoring you." Grady tells him.
"Yeah. I don't really want to talk about it, either. But let's forget it, get some frozen yogurt, and call it a day."
*
The cafeteria is crowded and two pretty blonde girls are at the frozen yogurt machine. Out of habit, he struts up and says, "Hey, ladies." They scoff and walk away.
Grady shrugs it off and goes to get his fro-yo, but not before he hears Nico mutter, "Idiots," under his breath.
He ignores that, too, as he gets Nico his yogurt, peanut butter, his favorite.
*
That night, he's building a three-foot-tall clay robot in the living room when Nico exits the bathroom dripping wet with a towel wrapped around his waist, hardly concealing what towels are meant to conceal.
He gets very close to Grady, so close that he can feel the heat of the shower emanating off of his body. So close that he can see every bead of water slide down every contour of every muscle on Nico's body.
He sees Nico's lips moving but fails to register his words until the third time he asks, "Where's the new soap?"
Grady stammers as he tells him it's under the sink. And even when Nico is back in the shower, Grady can't think of anything aside from his best friend, naked and soaking wet.
*
The kiss isn't even on purpose. They're alone in the prop house and Nico's explaining his idea of the best soda ever. Grady tuned out three minutes ago when the zero-gravity chamber was mentioned and he usually stares at the ceiling or takes the opportunity to clean his nails, but this time he can't tear his eyes away from Nico's mouth.
He crashes their lips together before he even realizes what he's doing. But Nico's wrapping his arms around his neck and he's kissing back.
Then, suddenly, Nico's pulling away and walking out of the prop house and Grady feels cold, confused, and empty.
*
The thing is, they have to cross paths in the apartment, and when they both try and fix themselves dinner at once, they can't not run into each other. Literally.
Nico's water is boiling on the stove as he tries to reach around Grady for scissors to open his instant mashed potatoes, and Grady's standing really close to the stove, even though he's just cutting up some peppers for fried rice.
There's an uncomfortable silence until Grady harnesses courage he never knew he had and said, "You ran away from me today." is voice is low, but steady.
Nico keeps his eyes clued to his potatoes and says, "I'm sorry, it's just-"
"I really like you!" Grady partially shouts, anger rising.
Matching his rage, Nico shouts, "I really like you, too!"
"But you ran away!"
"I panicked!"
Grady's emphatically bringing his knife down to the cutting board, punctuating every word of his sentence, "You can't just run away. I was trying to kiss you. And then you just leave." he hisses as he misses the strip of pepper and brings the blade down onto his index finger.
Nico turns to him, "Did you just cut yourself?" He hollers.
"Yes!" Grady screams back.
Nico takes one look at the impressive amount of blood streaming down Grady's index finger and takes his pot off the not burner with a huff, grabbing Grady by the wrist and yanking him into the bathroom.
He roughly shoves Grady's hand under steaming hot water, but starts to feel bad when the other boy hisses again in pain.
The water starts to cool down and so do their tempers as Nico retrieves the first-aid kit from the medicine cabnit. He gently sprays the sliced finger with an anti-bacterial mist and makes a sympathetic face when Grady shuts his eyes tight from the pain. It's still bleeding as Nico raps the phalange tight in an ACE bandage.
They stand in the small bathroom in silence for a while until Grady speaks up, "I really want to kiss you again, but should I lock the door to keep you from escaping?"
"No," Nico ducks his head with a tiny grin, "I think I can manage." And presses their bodies together before bringing his lips up to meet Grady's.
*
It goes without saying, Grady thinks, that he's in love with Nico. He's amazing in every way. He's the perfect boyfriend.
Nothing will ever change that. It's one thing Grady knows for certain.