Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Bloodwraith ❯ Tension ( Chapter 9 )

Jett opened his front door and gazed at Nikki and Kei. He stepped out of the doorway to allow them entrance then closed the door.

 

“Oh your friend isn't here today?” Nikki asked and Jett shook his head.

 

“No, he had to work. How did you find out where I live?” Jett inquired and Kei folded his arms.

 

“I have my ways. I've got many methods of finding things out,” Kei replied as he gazed around Jett's apartment. “You're not packed yet?”

 

“I was waiting for a call from you,” Jett replied. “Also it's still pretty early. I didn't get home until one. I'm not exactly used to the odd hours you guys keep.”

 

“Well we sort of came here on our way to Aidan's. He's expecting us,” Nikki said as Jett sat down.

 

“When were you planning on leaving?”

 

“Definitely by this afternoon. I've got flights booked for two-thirty so you'd better be ready by one,” Kei said.

 

“I have to find my passport,” Jett said and Kei looked at him.

 

“You'll have time to look for it after we talk to Aidan's,” he replied.

 

“Kei, he's only expecting us,” Nikki said and Kei looked at him.

 

“So he's in for a surprise. Come on. I've got a lot of things to do today. I don't have time to stand around and chat,” Kei said and Nikki looked at Jett.

 

“One thing you'll have to learn is that Kei's word is law,” Nikki said and Kei glanced back at him.

 

“You're exaggerating. If I told you to strip right now, you wouldn't do it.”

 

“That's because I already have a partner.”

 

“That doesn't mean anything.”

 

“It means something to me. I was never unfaithful to Aidan was I?”

 

“No. I wonder what Aidan will be wearing when we get there,” Kei said then glanced at Jett. “Well come on. We're wasting time.”

 

“I doubt it'll take long. You'll have plenty of time to pack,” Nikki said as Jett stood up.

 

“I'd like to see his place again. It's quite nice,” he replied and Nikki grinned.

 

“He hasn't always lived in luxury accommodations. Some of those apartments we shared were horrendous. I would get so worried about him while I played in the clubs. I was afraid that one day I'd come home and find him dead. When you're poor, you can't live in the safe parts of town.”

 

“Talk about them in the car, will you?” Kei asked as he ushered Nikki and Jett out to the door.

 

“Hey can I get my keys?” Jett asked and Kei folded his arms. “I'd like to lock up what little I have.”

 

“Hurry up.”

 

“Well I would have been prepared if you had called me first instead of just showing up at my door.”

 

“I'll be glad to get home to Skye,” Nikki said as he placed his hands behind his head. “I've missed him and I know he doesn't deal with absence very well.”

 

“It's too bad Aidan doesn't have anyone to go home to,” Kei said as he opened the front door.

 

“What are you trying to tell me?” Nikki asked and Kei shrugged his shoulders. “But they say you never forget your first real relationship. I don't think I'll...”

 

“Frankly, I don't think you were right for him. I bet if I wasn't his manager, he'd be willing to sleep with me.”

 

“You are such a dreamer, Kei. As for being right for each other, I think we were. I don't know if we still are and that's a problem.”

 

“I've got my keys,” Jett said and Kei glanced at him.

 

“Good. Let's go,” Kei said as he pushed Nikki out the door. Nikki glared at him for his hand placement then walked up to the car. “I still have a lot of calls to make today.”

 

“Well isn't it a little late to start making business calls?”

 

“No. Entertainers keep odd hours,” Nikki replied as he waited for Kei to unlock the doors. “Why did you put your hand on my ass? I'm not Aidan, Kei.”

 

“I got you to move, didn't I? You're going to learn a lot about the industry working with them,” Kei said to Jett and Jett sighed.

 

“I don't know if I want to know everything,” he replied as Nikki got into the car.

 

“There's always two sides to every coin,” Nikki replied as he closed the car door.

 

“True,” Jett said as he climbed into the back seat.

 

“Strap yourselves in. The band doesn't need any bad publicity,” Kei said and Nikki glanced at him.

 

“At least you don't have to worry about drugs like most other managers do,” he said as Kei backed the car out of the parking space.

 

“And I hope I never do. I also hope Aidan is in a better mood today.”

 

“At least he's dealing with things rationally. How can you forget his emotional outbursts?”

 

“He was under a lot of pressure.”

 

“Don't try to justify him, Kei.”

 

“I'm not. I'm stating the truth,” Kei said. “Now tell me where I need to go.”

 

“Maybe I need to be in the driver's seat.”

 

“Just tell me the directions.”

 

Meanwhile, Aidan sat on a stool busily writing down phrases in a notebook. Nikki had been bothering him a lot lately and he had to come to terms with his mixed emotions. He stared at the line Standing in a sea of chaos for a moment then took a sip of coffee. It wasn't a romantic song but it wasn't bad. He thought of Brett's songs and closed his eyes. He loved singing his songs.

 

Aidan supposed it was because he knew the lyrics were directed at him. Brett put his love for Aidan into the words that he wrote and Aidan treasured them. Nikki had never done anything like that. Of course, Nikki didn't have the talent for writing like Brett did. When Aidan wrote in their small apartment, Nikki would stay out of his way occasionally bringing him something to eat when they had the extra money but as pressure came with success Nikki became less attentive and Aidan missed meals because of it. Brett on the other hand, understood his writing process and sometimes they would sit together and write lyrics. He stood up and walked over to his stereo and pulled out an album that he kept hidden. He took out the CD and placed it in the player then walked over to his couch. He sat down and listened to the opening sounds of Nikki's guitar. Brett had treated him to a wondrous dinner after he had finished recording this first track. And then, Aidan thought as he leaned back on the sofa, they did something that was even more enjoyable than the meal. They drove out of the city to a small wooded area and they got out of the car to make love underneath the stars. It was so beautiful lying on a blanket beside the ocean with Brett running his tongue over every inch of his body. Aidan shivered at the memory then glanced up when he heard a knock on the door. He blinked his eyes as he stood up and switched off his stereo. Was it Nikki and Kei already? He crossed over to the front door and opened it.

 

“Hey Kei,” Aidan said then glanced at Jett. “I didn't know you were coming.”

 

“I wasn't aware of it either,” Jett replied as Kei stepped into the apartment.

 

“You've been writing, haven't you?” Nikki asked and Aidan folded his arms.

 

“What makes you say that?” he asked and Nikki grinned.

 

“I know you. So where's your masterpiece?”

 

“I was just writing thoughts down. I had to get some things off my mind. It's nothing special.”

 

“Can I read it? I haven't read anything of yours in a long time.”

 

“It's nothing.”

 

“Don't be so modest. You are wonderful when you get inspired.”

 

“Don't patronize me, Nikki.”

 

“I'm only stating the truth. Isn't that right, Kei?”

 

“You've got tremendous talent, Aidan. I just wish you were faster at writing,” Kei replied as Nikki picked up Aidan's notebook.

 

“Nikki it's not finished. It's just a bunch of random thoughts,” Aidan said as Nikki opened the notebook.

 

“Been reminiscing?” Kei inquired as he held up the CD case.

 

“I just wanted to hear his words again,” Aidan replied. “Why did you come over here? You said you wanted to talk about some things. I don't think you wanted to debate about what I listen to.”

 

“You're right. We're leaving today. The plane leaves at two-thirty. Do you think you'll be ready?”

 

“Yes. I'm not sure what to do with my car, though.”

 

“We'll take care of that later. Now the press may be there at the airport so I want you to be presentable and be prepared to answer questions. Some might even have to do with Flame.”

 

“You've been talking to the media again, haven't you?”

 

“I've just been enlightening them on your whereabouts for a year. They deserve to know after all. Your disappearance was world-wide news when it happened. It wasn't the smartest thing you've done but at least we got a lot of press because of it.”

 

“This whole thing has really been affecting you,” Nikki commented as he closed the notebook.

 

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Aidan replied as he took the notebook from Nikki. “I just felt like writing.”

 

“You don't just up and write because you feel like it. You have a reason when you write. You've always been like that. Whenever something really bothers you, you write about it. This time it's about me, isn't it?”

 

“No it's not. I just had to write some things down.”

 

“Right.”

 

“Could I see what you wrote?” Jett inquired and Aidan looked at him.

 

“I suppose. You won't be biased like Nikki,” Aidan replied.

 

“I just said it was about me and I'm right. You're still hung up on the past,” Nikki said and Aidan folded his arms.

 

“I am not. I have no feelings on the past.”

 

“It's really good, even though it's not finished,” Jett said as he handed the notebook back to Aidan.

 

“I don't know if I'll ever finish it,” Aidan said as he tossed the notebook aside. “I probably won't since people are making a big deal over it.”

 

“Where are you going now?” Kei asked as Aidan walked out of the room.

 

“This is my place. I don't have to tell you where I'm going, Kei,” Aidan said and Nikki took a step after him.

 

“What's your bedroom look like?” Nikki asked and Aidan glanced back at him.

 

“What are you trying to tell me?”

 

“Nothing. I just want to see what it's like. I want to see if your tastes have improved.”

 

Aidan didn't respond as he walked down the hall and into his bedroom. Nikki gazed around the room then walked over to Aidan's bed. It was a small bed, probably full-sized, Nikki observed with a contemporary curving black metal frame and Nikki folded his arms. He couldn't imagine Aidan with anything else in his bedroom. Aidan seemed to prefer curves in design even though he had no use for curves in anatomy. He sat down on the dark blue blanket and gazed at the bed.

 

“How can you sleep on something so small?” Nikki inquired as Aidan opened his closet door.

 

“Practice,” Aidan replied as he took out some shirts.

 

“Our bed was huge.”

 

“Don't remind me.”

 

“You were writing about me, weren't you?”

 

“I was writing about the situation,” Aidan said as he set his clothes on the bed.

 

“Which situation?” Nikki asked as he placed his hand over Aidan's. Aidan flinched then pulled away and walked back to his closet.

 

“The situation at hand.”

 

“You mean going back home?”

 

“Partially. I'm not looking forward to the flood of memories that I'm going to experience when I step off the plane.”

 

“What else is bugging you?”

 

“Nothing. Right now I'm trying to pack so can we just drop this discussion?”

 

“I've forgotten just how cute you are when you're mad,” Nikki said and Aidan lowered his head.

 

“Shut up,” Aidan said.

 

“It sounds like old times in here,” Kei said as he stepped into the doorway.

 

“Look I didn't ask for any of this,” Aidan said as he laid his pants on the bed.

 

“Have you lost some weight? Your pants look smaller.”

 

“You'd just love to see me undressed, wouldn't you?” Aidan asked and Kei shrugged his shoulders.

 

“You'd be surprised how much joy I can give you,” Kei replied and Aidan spun around.

 

“Don't come onto me like that!”

 

“Maybe he's going to convert the guy in the other room,” Nikki said and Aidan slammed on his closet door.

 

“Don't screw with me like that. If you get me too pissed I'll stay here. Try to do a comeback without me and see how far you get.”

 

Nikki stood up and patted Aidan's shoulder. Aidan's eyes grew wide when Nikki embraced him. What in the world was he doing?! He didn't want Nikki to be so close to him. He didn't want to feel Nikki's hands on his body. He didn't want to think about how Nikki would excite him in the early days. This isn't right, Aidan told himself. He has a partner.

 

“We need you,” Nikki whispered and Aidan tried to pull away.

 

“Let go of me,” Aidan said and Nikki closed his eyes.

 

“This brings back some memories.”

 

“Let go.”

 

“Oh if only I didn't have Skye...”

 

“Just take advantage of him if you're going to,” Kei said and Aidan struggled to get out of Nikki's grasp.

 

“I thought you said we weren't right for each other,” Aidan said as he tried to kick Nikki.

 

“If you really wanted to get away from me, you could do it,” Nikki said and Aidan gritted his teeth.

 

“Nikki I swear...”

 

“Would you two just fix your differences? This is getting old fast,” Kei said as he folded his arms.

 

“Is everything all right in here?” Jett asked as he walked up behind Kei. Aidan pulled himself out of Nikki's grasp and glared at him.

 

“Nikki I don't understand you at all. You come here to get me and then you lecture me on how I shouldn't have disappeared. Then you do things like this. You were the one that basically told me to forget about the past. What the hell do you want me to do?!” Aidan demanded and Jett glanced at Kei.

 

“What's going on?”

 

“A little disagreement that hopefully will be resolved soon,” Kei replied. “It doesn't really surprise me. I saw the tension between the two before they saw it. The rift between them hasn't been fixed and it desperately needs to be.”

 

“Aidan I...” Nikki said and Aidan folded his arms.

 

“What?” Aidan asked and Nikki sighed.

 

“I still care. That's why it makes it so hard. I really care for Skye too. I've always been fond of...”

 

“Strays. That's what you saw me as, isn't it?”

 

“Well you looked so helpless back then. I just couldn't...”

 

“That was the only reason you took me in, wasn't it?”

 

“No of course not. Did I ever treat you like a stray cat or dog?”

 

“Would you two hurry up? My time is valuable,” Kei said as he glanced at his watch.

 

“Look I didn't plan on having this scene. I was content with my life,” Aidan replied and Nikki gazed seriously at him.

 

“Were you really? Did you really give up on singing and success?” Nikki asked as Aidan sat on the edge of his bed.

 

“What was the point in continuing after he died? I had almost come to terms with the stunt you pulled and then that damned storm took his life. What was I supposed to do?”

 

“I apologized.”

 

“Over a year after the fact didn't help anything.”

 

“How could I have apologized when you ran out on us?”

 

“I was in mourning.”

 

Nikki sat beside Aidan and kissed him. Aidan's eyes grew wide as Nikki forced him down onto the bed. Jett got a sick look on his face and Kei glanced back at him.

 

“You're just going to have to get used to this,” Kei said as Aidan struggled to get out from underneath Nikki.

 

“I've just never seen such a sight before. I can handle normal people but...” Jett said and Kei frowned.

 

“What makes them not normal?”

 

“Well you know what I mean.”

 

“I have the feeling that I know what you're trying to imply and I don't like it. Aren't we all the same under the skin?”

 

Aidan finally pushed Nikki away and Nikki sighed.

 

“Forgive me Skye,” he whispered as Aidan stood up and walked into the bathroom. He closed the door and locked it then stared at his reflection in the mirror. What had just happened? Why had he pushed away like that? They had once been lovers so why had he resisted? Was it because Nikki was currently involved with someone else? Could it be because of his vow never to feel again? He placed his hands on the sink and stared into the basin. How could he possibly go back home feeling the way he did? His mind had been denying himself emotions that he had experienced in the past and he did not believe he was ready for them again.

 

“You think I can come in?” Kei asked and Aidan looked up.

 

“What do you want?” Aidan asked.

 

“I want to talk to you. I'm not going to leave this country with you acting like this. If you're going to bring Bloodwraith back to life then you need to be completely rational.”

 

“All right. Come on in.”

 

Aidan unlocked the bathroom door and Kei stepped inside. He closed the door behind him then gazed seriously at Aidan.

 

“Now I'm not going to tell you how to live,” Kei said as he leaned up against the bathroom door. “You should be old enough to figure things out for yourself but it seems clear to me that you and Nikki still have feelings for each other. Accept that and use it as a reason to rejoin the band. So Nikki can't exactly live with you right now but he's not your enemy. Now let's go back to your behavior. Sure this is your place but you shouldn't have acted that way in front of your new writer.”

 

“I've been bitter for awhile I guess,” Aidan said as he glanced out the small bathroom window. “The breakup, his death...I wanted to protect myself from pain. That's why I ran.”

 

“No one is immune to pain. If you lay a hand on a hot stove, doesn't it burn? We all have emotions and we all get hurt from time to time. No one is alone and you have people that care enough about you that they are willing to travel long distances just to get you back. I think it's time you realized that.”

 

“You've got a point,” Aidan replied as he stood up straight. “I should be grateful. All right, open the door and I'll finish packing.”

 

“Besides,” Kei said as he brought a hand to Aidan's face. “You're too cute to look upset.”