"So Mykonos is something you're seriously considering?" Xander asked and poured me more wine.

"Yeah. There's more room for us there. No one stared at us. At Dion. Or me, for that matter. And we can get jobs there too." I took a sip of the absolute best wine I had ever tasted and revelled in it.

"It's so important to fit in and when you don't, it's... It's hard for Nikon too. And I can't help him with it."

"You kind of are helping by just being there for him." I smiled encouragingly. "Dion's not asking for me to save him. He's just asking me to be there." I turned the crystal glass in my hands, looking down at the almost golden liquid.

"Nikon's the same. I just worry there's more I could do. And I hate he won't let me pay out his contract. It'd be nothing for me to do. I wouldn't even feel it. But he won't let me."

"It's about pride. If he lets you deal with his life in this way, it won't be equal."

"It's dumb, is what it is. We could live the perfect life, but he won't let me pay him out. I have money. Oceans of it. I don't need this. I'd give up my entire fortune for him, but he won't let me."

"It's... Hard to explain," I muttered. "I could take Dion to hades and no one could touch us there. But, it's not our job to save them." I leaned over and patted his hand.

He bit down on his lip and nodded. He released it again and dried his eyes. "I wouldn't like it either. To be saved. I've done all of this myself." He motioned to his living room and all the nice things. "My family is not wealthy. They are now, because I send them money. I help out my siblings and... Maybe I've gotten too used to be a provider. Nikon is the first one who has turned down my money. It's... Kind of hot."

I chuckled and took another sip of wine. Dion, Strawberry and Nikon were in the kitchen, getting dinner ready. It had become a regular thing now. Us having dinners together. It was so nice.

"Dinner's ready, you two," Dion said from the door, smiling at us.

"Coming," Xander said and rose to his feet. "Thank you, Arlo. It's comforting to know I'm not alone."

"Yeah, same." I patted his shoulder and went to my boyfriend, kissing his cheek on the way. He even stretched to his toes, knowing it was coming. So cute.

We sat down around the dinner table, Nikon, Xander and Strawberry on one side and Dion and me on the other.

Nikon had made salmon lasagne and it looked absolutely delicious. We dug in and it was like it melted on my tongue.

"You're an artist in the kitchen, Nikon," I murmured contently.

Nikon snorted. "You a real foodie, Arlo?"

"I love food so much." I leaned back and patted my stomach. "I mean, it's not a surprise is it?"

Strawberry laughed and shook her head. "No, you look like a very well-fed boy, Arlo."

"It's cute though," Dion chimed in and patted my belly. "I'd hate for that to disappear."

"It is nice when there's something soft to grab onto," Strawberry said and nodded.

"Oliver's not particularly soft," my boyfriend said and sent her a cheeky look.

"Not on his belly no," she laughed, and I decided to tune out this conversation. I didn't need to know where my best friend was soft.

I opted for observing our little group instead. Nikon and Xander sat closely together, hands intertwined on top of the table. They kept glancing at each other too, while they continued the conversation. It was sweet to observe. They were so in-love. Nikon became a softer person around Xander too.

Dion blossomed in this company too. He was smiling and laughing, joking around and kept looking at me, to make sure I was still with him. Present. That I didn't get stuck in my head and zone out. I'd often get so hung up on one thought or word and I'd completely disappear. But Dion kept making sure I didn't do that. It was nice of him. I really loved him for that, because it quickly got me frozen out of groups in the past. They could sit and chat and then say something to me, but I was lost in thought and they'd get tired of how many times it'd happen.

But not Dion. He never seemed to tire of me and all the things wrong with me. Actually he didn't make me feel so wrong. He made me feel like I was okay just the way I was.

"Arlo's amazingly handy," Dion said and put his hand on top of mine. "Right? You hung our lamp with no problems."

"Oh, yeah it wasn't too hard. I like doing work with my hands."

"Really? That's amazing. Maybe you could teach me a thing or two?" Xander said and looked all excited.

"Sure! What do you need done?"
"We bought some lamps for the porch out back because it gets quite dark out there... But I have no idea how to hang them." Xander grimaced a bit. "And neither of us know how to do this stuff."

"I'll come out and help you guys during the day. Much easier when everyone can see."

"Arlo has a crazy good eyesight even in the dark," Dion said almost proudly and ruffled up my hair.

"Oh really?" Xander perked up.

Nikon leaned his cheek against his knuckles. "Why do you think he can work security in a club as dark as Euphoria?" His blue eyes landed on me and he smirked. "Arlo is all-seeing."

I snorted and rolled my eyes. They were all being total dorks.

I grabbed Dion and picked him up, fishing the keys of his hands and opened the door to our apartment. He laughed loudly and latched onto me, kissing me deeply. Which made it especially hard to try and get the door closed while also not dropping my boyfriend on the floor.

"Gods, I love you," he murmured against my lips and kissed me harder.

We might've been a little drunk. Xander really wasn't cheap on his wine and we had gone through several bottles. But it was that sort of comfortable wine-drunkness that made me very lovey-dovey and happy. It did the same to Dion.

I stumbled into our bedroom and put him down on our bed. He kicked his shoes off and slipped out of his jacket, before hooking his fingers in my belt-hoops and pulled me closer.

"You were so cute today, you know that?" he murmured and looked up at me with rosy cheeks and love in his eyes.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you talked with Xander. He seemed so happy after you two had been talking and drinking wine."

I scratched the back of my neck and took a step back, slipping my jacket off. "I just listened, mostly."

"It's so obvious he needs someone to just listen though. And you're amazing for offering him that." Dion rose from the bed and got changed into his night clothes as I did the same.

"He's my friend. He listens to me too."

"I'm just happy you have him." He turned towards me, topless, and I kind of forgot to answer. He was so beautiful.

"I'm happy I have you," I said and stepped in front of him, putting my hands on his naked shoulders, slowly slipping my fingers down his arms.

"Cutie," he said and then got the shivers as I ran my hands over his chest.

I then reached into the closet and grabbed him one of my t-shirts, handing it to him without losing eye-contact.

"Smooth," he grinned and slipped the t-shirt on.

"I do everything smoothly," I said and then dropped my tank-top on the floor. Dion laughed and picked it up for me. He also helped me getting my shirt off, so he could run his hands over my body. I inhaled sharply and slowly let the air out as I looked down at my boyfriend. He grabbed the tank-top and slipped it on me. Then he opened my jeans and got me to step out of them before helping me into my sweats. His fingers slid in between mine and he led me back to the bed, pulling the covers aside for us to get in.

We lied with our heads close together, facing each other. Dion smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too," I murmured and kissed him.