"Okay," Jude said, smiling as they walked out onto the street; already bustling with activity and standstill traffic, "I always liked the Ancient Egypt exhibition. I wonder if that's still there."
Nyx blinked. "Okay." He replied, unsure what that meant but willing to go if it made Jude happy.
Jude sighed comfortably as he walked through his neighborhood with Nyx, passing the little shops and bodegas as they headed towards the subway station, his thoughts quietly redirecting to what he said in the elevator. I really like you. He'd said nothing before to prompt Nyx to say that, but the casual sincerity behind the words made him smile.
Nyx walked with him quietly, looking around as they walked. He hadn't really thought about it before blurting out the words, but they had been true.
Jude smiled as he turned the corner, seeing the far treetops of central park a few blocks away. "Oh hey, I forgot to ask you," Jude said, smiling as he turned to Nyx, "What did you think– or feel, i guess –when we first took a drive through the city? Away from RTI."
Nyx blinked. "I don't know." He replied slowly. "Just…excited, mostly. And a little scared." He shrugged his shoulders.
"Hm. I remember worrying that it'd be too much for you," Jude said, slipping a hand into his pocket as they walked, "–Seing all the buildings and…people. A lot of people think this city's a bit intimidating."
Nyx hummed for a moment. "Oh. But it wasn't." He pointed out, looking at Jude and biting his lip a little bit.
Jude raised his eyebrows. "Really?" He asked, the corner of his mouth curving into a smile, "It didn't feel overwhelming or anything? I mean– I know I would've been freaked out. But it's good you felt pretty okay."
Nyx shrugged. "I mean…I don't…I don't know." he replied slowly, biting his lip a little. "I…got a little overwhelmed I guess, but…"
"Oh," Jude said with a quick glance at the road before they crossed the street, "You were? Hm. It wasn't bad, was it?"
"No, it wasn't." he replied, looking up at Jude with a faint little smile. "It wasn't bad."
"Good, good. That's good," Jude said, smiling over at Nyx as they neared the steps down to the subway station, looking up at the sign to make sure it was the right one, "And speaking of things that may be overwhelming–" He said, pointing at the descending stairs, "Ready to go down there? s'Gonna be a bit crowded."
Nyx bit his lip a little bit, hand tightening on Jude's slightly. "I…I guess so." he said slowly, peeking up at Jude uncertainly.
"Okay," Jude said with a slow nod, pressing a kiss on Nyx's cheek, "Let's go. It'll be okay. The train's gonna be here any minute."
Nyx nodded a little bit. "Okay." He said with a little smile, bouncing on his heels as he waited for the train.
Jude watched as the swarms of people crowded the platform as they waited, smiling as the train whirred to a stop in front of them and the doors hissed open. "Come on," He said, glancing at Nyx before moving towards the doors, shouldering past the morning commuters.
Nyx smiled and followed Jude, looking around the train quietly, unsure what to do except follow Jude.
"Here, sit," Jude said, taking a seat and nodding at the empty one next to him. "So, this is the subway," He chuckled, smiling as he glanced around the inside of the train, "It's not too crowded today, surprisingly. It's good we didn't take an earlier one."
Nyx sat down, leaning his head on Jude's shoulder and nodding slightly. "Mm. Alright." he replied softly, peeking up at Jude for a moment.
Jude smiled at Nyx, letting out a sigh as the train whirred through the tunnels beneath Central Park. His phone chimed, and he took it out of his pocket, raising his eyebrows at the multitude of texts and a few calls he'd missed from his friends, "Oh."
"What?" Nyx asked curiously, looking over at Jude and wondering what was going on on. He shifted in his seat.
Jude bit his lip for a moment, shrugging as he looked down at his phone. "It's just my friends. I think they're worried about me," He said, wondering how he should reply to their questions of 'We haven't seen or heard from you. Are you clean?' and 'Did something happen?'
"Oh. Well…why haven't you kept in contact with them?" Nyx asked, a little bit worried. "Is…is it because of me?" He bit his lip again.
"I dunno," Jude said with another shrug, "Guess I forgot. I sent a text yesterday, but I don't think they got it." He turned his phone off, figuring he'd reply in a minute, "And…yeah. But– It's not your fault. I was the one who forgot, and I wouldn't even know what to say if I did reply."
"Oh." Nyx replied, leaning on Jude's shoulder. "Can I…do I get to meet them?" He asked curiously, raising his eyebrows.
Jude grinned at the idea. "Yeah," He said, nodding as he thought of how it might go, smiling like and idiot, "Yeah, yes. I think that'd be…really, really nice. I should text them and see if a few of us can get together sometime."
Nyx grinned happily, lighting up at the prospect of meeting new people. "Yay!" He snuggled close to Jude, kissing his cheek happily.
Jude laughed a little shyly, quietly reminded that they were in public. "Mhm, it'll be fun," He said, taking out his phone as Nyx kissed his cheek, "–And they might be a little intimidating, just sayin'. But they're all a bunch 'a goofs, really. I'm sure they'll like you."
Nyx smiled. "Alright." He was just excited at the idea of meeting new people. People who weren't Jude, who weren't scientists. Just normal people.
