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Nikolas' eyes lit up with amusement as he snorted, covering his mouth to hold back his laughter. He hadn't expected that, but it was definitely something he was glad to now know. "Really? I mean, honestly, same." He uncovered his mouth and ran his fingers through his hair, mussing it up as he shook his head with an amused grin.
"Who knew I'd have so much in common with a genius from forever ago huh?" Markus said with a small laugh, perking up at the sight of Nikolas hiding his laughter. His fingers itched to reach up and smooth out his hair, the thought bringing just a bit of red to his cheeks as he tucked his hands in his pockets instead. "History's a helluva lot weirder'n school tells ya."
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"No kidding," Nikolas said with a soft laugh, crossing his arms over his chest for something to do with his hands since he didn't have pockets in his sweatpants. "They just want to drill into our heads when the Kings and leaders shit and argued. Oh, and fucked, because they definitely had way too many kids for them to just be killed by each other."
“Readin’ about which rulers were killed by one o’ those too many kids is a fun one.” Markus commented, nodding in agreement. “And there’s plenty. Süleyman the Magnificent was killed by his wife Hurrem, too so spouses are a common one.”
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Nikolas shrugged, briefly looking off to the side as an indecipherable emotion flickered over his eyes, summoning those dark clouds that blotted out the silver of his irises. "Yeah, I guess. Death isn't exactly my most favorite thing to read about, though." He quickly looked back up at Markus with a smile, trying to hide the brief flicker of emotion.
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((imma pull a Baylee and ~booP~))
((Not u too))
Markus tilted his head for a moment, before nodding. “I have more facts.” He said, smiling almost tentatively, like being able to share was a new thing for him. “Ones that ain’t related to death. Or even history, this time. Octopi, actually.” He didn’t like the dark and haunted look in Nikolas’s eyes. So history, something already so filled with death, was maybe something to avoid.
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( ;)
Nikolas was secretly glad of the change in subject. He smiled some more, this time genuine, and lightly grabbed the front of Markus's shirt to tug him towards the bed before Nikolas let go and crawled onto it to get comfortable, resituating his nest of pillows and blankets. "Do tell," he prompted, propping his head up with his hand while he leaned on the side of the nest.
God, Markus really couldn’t handle being handled like that. It made his legs decide working was not something on their to do list, so it was, at least, a good thing he’d been dragged to the bed. Cheeks red, he gestured widely, still smiling. “Okay, Okay. So, there’s a couple species of octopi who use their tentacles t’ walk on the ocean floor. Tha’s weird as fuck, right? Well get this. Some o’ them, t’ avoid gettin’ nabbed by somethin’ big, and t’ catch prey with an ambush tactic, take coconut shell halves and walk around in ‘em! Just, pick up the damn things’n hold ‘em shut.” He sounded like a kid, the excitement in his voice as he talked about the octopi palpable.
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Nikolas' eyes brightened with suppressed laughter as he buried his face into a nearby pillow, shoulders shaking. He heard the words, yes, but he was enthralled with how adorable Markus looked as he talked about octopi of all things. He looked so happy and excited to talk about what he knew like he never got to chance to talk about this stuff before, and now everything was just spilling out freely. The thought made him smile, which he hid with the pillow by sinking his chin further into it.
"Octopi are such weird fuckin' creatures and I love them. They're related to clams, y'know? Except clams are sessile, which means they don't really move much, technically, and octopi ain't." Markus didn't notice Nikolas's laughter, too excited about being able to talk without being told to shut up. "And they have three hearts. Three! They change, color, too, and even their texture, to blend in with rocks an' shit, which is like. Insane if ya think about it. Bein' able t' do that."
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Markus was definitely a nerd, Nikolas concluded, but an adorable one with a slight temper when provoked. That was okay, though, because Nikolas couldn't find it in himself anymore to judge Markus. Not when he was watching this guy excitedly gush over octopi, not when he watched and found it cute, perhaps even charming. Nikolas picked his head up, chin still on the pillow, but his grin was on full display as he listened to Markus, unable to not smile.
Markus continued to ramble about octopi for a bit, before realizing he was maybe talking a bit too much. He glanced down at Nikolas, blinking at the sight of the other boy's grin. That was new. Maybe he just really liked octopi? "Have ya ever seen one? An octopus, I mean."
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Nikolas blinked when Markus stopped, lifting his head fully. "Uh? Oh, no, I haven't. But I've seen pictures before, so I guess that's good enough." He shrugged, thumb rubbing at his lips as if erasing his smile. It semi-worked—he still couldn't stop smiling at what he just witnessed.
"No it ain't." Markus said, shaking his head. "Pictures are cool an' all, but ya don' really-it's different, seein' and holdin' one yourself. Oh! There's an octopus at the aquarium downtown." He brightened, an obvious metaphorical lightbulb going off above his head. "The owner lets me hang out there on Sundays, when business is the slowest. I could take ya down t' see Thalassa, if ya wanted."
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Nikolas tilted his head, reaching up to rub the back of his neck as he opened his mouth as if to say something, though no words left his lips. He wasn't used to people wanting to do something for him, and nothing as trivial as seeing an animal like an octopus. He closed his mouth again, shrugging. "I mean, you don't have to go out of your way just to show me."
"It ain't outta my way too much, don' worry." Markus promised. It sort of was, in a few ways, but it seemed so…natural and worth it. Making time in his schedule for Nikolas. Maybe it was rerouting. Nikolas used to have a big chunk of time in his schedule, but it was about time that hour of the day was replaced by something less…violent. "It'll be great, promise."
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Nikolas ran his hand through his hair, messing it up even more as he glanced off to the side. "Alright. I'll go," he finally relented, refusing to look at Markus. He tried not to think of it as a date of sorts, seeing how the aquarium is frequently used as a date location, but his mind instantly went there. And then he thought about where he would be taking Markus, and he had to cover his eyes with his hair to keep himself from looking over at the guy sitting on the bed with him. Shit.
Markus's smile, which had brightened at the alright, turned to a frown as Nikolas covered his eyes. Furrowing his brows, he shifted, crossing his legs on the bed and leaning forward, arms resting on his knees. "Hey, you alright there sweetheart?" He asked, voice low and soft, the term of endearment slipping out without him even thinking about it. It could have just been the repressed part of him that loved calling people he cared about soft things like that, but chances were, it was maybe a bit more.
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"M!" Nikolas didn't expect Markus to notice anything, and he certainly didn't expect the 'sweetheart' that came from the guy in front of him. He made himself look up at Markus, his spiraling thoughts only slightly discernable through his slightly fidgety body language. He shifted again, curling a leg up against his chest and loosely wrapping an arm around it as he rested his chin on his knee. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just… thinking." He added a shrug for added effect, acting nonchalant. He did, however, raise a brow at the term of endearment. "What about you, sweetheart?"
Markus blinked once. And then his face flamed, cheeks turning a deep red as covered it with his hand. He hadn't. Oh god, he had, hadn't he? "Wha-fuck. Fucker. I uh-didn' mean t' call ya that-" And yet, hearing it back was sort of kind of amazing. "Shit. Please ignore my dumbass lack o' filter, for the love o' God."
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Nikolas grinned, though this one had a mischievous intent behind it as he uncurled himself and leaned forward, bracing himself with his arms so that he was even closer to Markus. He tilted his head cheekily, tongue caught between his teeth. "And what if I don't, hm?" he purred. "What are you going to do?"
Markus peeked through his fingers at Nikolas, regretting it immediately as he was met with the other boy, way too close to his face. With his tongue partially out. "I-" Fuck. What exactly was he supposed to say to that? "I ain't-got a clue? Does sayin' please help?" You dumbass.
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"No, it doesn't." Nikolas's shit-eating grin only grew more at Markus's clear embarrassment. He wouldn't let this go, not now, maybe not ever. He wouldn't spill it to anyone but himself, but it was fun to mess with the bigger dude, to see that bright blush. He tipped his head the other way, leaning just a little bit closer to find Markus's limit. This sort of closeness was different than their usual closeness. They could be in each other's faces before, but now was different. Nikolas wanted to find out what happened when he reached Markus's limit of how close he would allow him to get.
Markus groaned softly, dropping his head for a moment. Then a thought hit him. It was so easy for Nikolas to do this, right? Why couldn't he at least try to get back at him for it? It couldn't be that hard…
So, he lifted his head, letting his hand drop. Cheeks still bright red, Markus leaned just a bit closer, closing the distance between them ever so slowly as he met Nikolas's eyes. "Are ya sure it don't? Is there anythin' else that'll convince ya, or am I gonna have ta get creative?"
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Nikolas's eyes widened a fraction when Markus leaned closer, though he didn't pull back. Now what? Markus and his blush looked so cute, and he was getting closer to him. He couldn't back away now—he had started this. But I wasn't expecting him to finish it. So Nikolas did what he did best when he panics: kiss and run.
He plastered on a smirk despite his racing heart, then shifted so that he had an arm right next to Markus to keep him upright as he leaned in, their lips so, so close. And then he quickly and smoothly veered off to the side, kissing the air right next to Markus's ear. He grinned brightly, then booked it, clambering off the bed and making a break for the door.
Markus froze, blinking rapidly as Nikolas fled the room. What the fuck. Everything about that-
It took him a bit longer than it should have to process it. He had leaned in. Nikolas had too. They had been so close, closer than Markus had ever been to anyone unless he was getting his ass kicked, and then-Nikolas had veered off and left. And now Markus was alone, in his room, heart beating so fast he thought it might beat right out of his chest. Oh God. He had to leave. But he didn't want to face Nikolas, or Tessa for that matter. So…
Window it was.
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Nikolas was most definitely panicking when he came downstairs. Tessa looked up from her doughnut, which was halfway stuffed into her mouth. "Nico?" she asked once she could, stepping into his way when he came down. "What the fuck happened?"
He opened his mouth, cheeks aflame, though no words left his lips. He looked at her with a mix of guilt, panic, and flustered mess. "Markus," was all he could say. She sighed and ruffled his hair, then trotted upstairs and lightly jogged to Nikolas's bedroom. She saw her old foster brother attempting to jump out the second-story window and just had to step in.
"Markus," she said, incredulous, "What the fuck?"
Markus was halfway out the window when Tessa stepped into the room, trying desperately to fit his large body out the window frame. He looked up when she spoke, a curseword half spoken on his tongue. "Uh. Howdy. What's up, doll?" He asked, words as casual as someone ordering a meal at a restaurant, even while everything else about him was quite the opposite of casual.
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She crossed her arms over her chest and rose a brow, jutting out her hip for added effect. "Nothing much. What happened between you and Nikolas to put him into a panic? And apparently you too," she added as she swept her eyes up and down Markus's body, making a point of eyeing the window as well.
