They both loved living together.
Nick loved waking up in the morning and listening to Brian’s singing as he made breakfast, the strong-smelling of coffee that came from the kitchen and that “Good morning” whispered with a kiss before going out. He didn’t love, though, doing the laundry since he never understood why the clothes always end up with a different color. Brian loved coming back from an exhausting day from work and university just to find Nick busy with making the dinner, the table already set up though sketches and book had been pushed to the farthest corner. On the contrary, he didn’t understand the need to make the bed before going out since there would undo it at night.
Saturday’s afternoons were Nick’s favorite: him and Brian always took the day off from working and studying and they would spend it doing the housework together, most of the time laughing and playing around. They still managed to finish before the evening so that they could go out for shopping and seeking small and new restaurants to try. Brian preferred the Sunday’s mornings when they would sleep until late, doing the crosswords in the newspaper before going out for a walk in Central Park.
Both of them loved the nights, the one when Brian didn’t have the late shift at the bar, spent cuddled up on the couch: sometimes, they were busy with different things like composing a new song or drawing; other times, they were absorbed by the exams and so the hours were consumed with studying until it was too late and one of them, usually Nick, had to force the other to bed and had some rest before working in the morning. Still, most of the time was spent watching old movies in black and white, movies that Nick had never seen and that Brian loved so much. Those nights would end up with Brian dozing off and Nick trying to change channel with the remote control only to have Brian, punctually, murmuring something like “I’m not sleeping” but without even opening his eyes. Nick could only smile and grab the blanket they always kept on the couch.
It wasn’t always rainbows and flowers but they had always known this. Brian, for example, didn’t stand the fact that Nick always finished something, like milk or coffee, and didn’t write on the grocery list. On the contrary, Nick hated the fact that Brian always left books and notes scattered in the living room, where everything had its place. But those little fights had turned and became a simple way to release steam, stress and tension and usually happened when one of them had reached his breaking point. And they always ended up with Nick going at the closet market to buy the things missing, maybe adding a little surprise while Brian would start cleaning the living room, singing and managing to convince Nick into dancing with him.
But, on top of everything, Brian loved the fact that the house wasn’t lonely anymore. He had lived alone in that flat, surrounded by memories and faded love, for so long, too long, and he wasn’t used anymore in finding ways to tire and exhaust himself so not to think about all that he had lost. Now, he didn’t have to feel like he was stepping and living in a house of ghosts. Now there was someone waiting for him, someone who would be worried if he stayed up too late studying or working, someone who would be concerned about his health. He had finally someone willing to take care of him and he had someone to take care of.
Yes, Brian loved living together with Nick.
