Niké sat quietly while listening, nodding softly at the man's words. Smiling when he felt Theo interlacing his fingers with his. The way the leader's touch could both calm him and excite him at the same time was so strange.

The warmth of Theo's touch was comforting, making his whole body relax and making it hard for him to think of anything else but the man in front of him.

However his touch also filled him with excitement, his body waiting, longing even, for more. He wasn't just happy with holding hands, he wanted to feel the man all over himself. He shouldn't be thinking like that, he knew that but it was like he lost control of his own thoughts with Theo.

"I can't see a damn thing on that side and then I'm cursed with the damn looks to make it look more ugly than what it is."

Niké shook his head at that, his free hand lifting to touch the man but he caught himself before that and put it down, hoping that no one else had seen. “Don't say that…” the grey-haired man mumbled quietly, “I like the way you look, you don't look like every other guy out there and I like that way more. You're very attractive in my eyes Theo,” he told the man before smiling softly. He didn't know what else to say, it was the truth but he doubted that his words would bring too much comfort or help change the leader’s mind about his own looks.

Continuing to listen, Niké got the feeling that the way he’d gotten his tinnitus and lost part of his hearing, could be quite similar to the way Theo had lost his sight. It was only a feeling though and he had no way of knowing if it was correct or not, he didn't really want to know, if he was being fully honest with himself. How he’d injured his ear was something he would never tell anyone about, if he did then it meant admitting to himself what really had happened and he didn't want to, he knew he would never be able to handle it.

Niké started stroking the back of the other’s hand with his thumb, trying to think of what he could say to comfort him. Comforting, especially with words, wasn't his strong suit. If it was someone he cared for he'd rather just hug them, or something along those lines, even if he wasn't the biggest fan of physical affection, only with a selected few, Theo having become one of them. Words could come out wrong or just sound like empty promises and lies when they weren't.

With a sigh, Niké gave up. The young man lifted his gaze from looking at their hands and looked at Theo, realizing that he had unconsciously angled his body more and more towards the leader. The safest thing would probably be to move back into his original spot and not allow himself closer to Theo but he told himself that it would be okay for just a little longer.

“I guess you could just say that shit happens?” He sighed again, “We can't always change the outcome of things and no matter how much that sucks, one has to try and stay positive and find the good things in life to be able to keep going.”

Niké gave a brief smile before leaning the side of his head against the cold wall. He hoped that it sounded good enough, it felt like something other people would say to comfort another so he hoped it would work at least a little, if it didn't he had no idea what else he was supposed to do.

"You don't strike me as the type to be optimistic."

Niké’s gaze dropped a little as he debated on whether or not to say anything, it would be easier to stay quiet, laugh it off instead, but he decided not to, if Theo was being honest with him then maybe he should be too? This was nothing major though, just something he was a bit embarrassed to admit.

“Sorry, it's a bit of a habit I guess… I’m not good at comforting others so I just repeat what I've heard others say before,” he admitted, “I know it's kinda weird but it's what seems to work best most of the time so I’ve just stuck with it…”

Feeling Theo’s hand on his thigh made his voice fade away as a heavy blush spread across his face and he turned his gaze to look at it. The way Theo could make him blush in an instant with just his touch was almost dangerous, he was incredibly lucky to not have any light shining on him right now or the whole gang would be let in on their secret. Whatever that was now. They hadn't really established what was going on between them, just that they both like one another.

“My brother is really more the optimistic type, not me…” Niké mumbled, forcing his eyes off Theo’s hand and instead lifting it to meet his emerald gaze, “It would be more like him to say something along those lines…” he trailed on, not really knowing where he was going with this, he was mostly trying to distract himself by trying to hold a normal conversation but if it really was that normal was arguable and when he took a moment to think, he realized that he was probably making this more awkward by mentioning his brother in this moment.

The man really had no idea of what he was doing right now, his head was clouded and filled with a million thoughts at once, that paired with little to no sleep the past few nights, it was not a good mix. Niké had forgotten how to act completely, all because Theo had put a hand on his thigh. It was as if he was a young teenager again, he wasn't sure how to handle all the things he was feeling, easiest would be to give in, let his own body make his decisions for him but he couldn't, not here. And also, did he really have no self-control? He just had to behave and stay put, just hold a normal conversation and don't think about it. How hard could that be?

Very hard, was the answer. The grey-haired man didn't even have time to start thinking about a subject to talk about before finding that his eyes had once again gone to the hand on his thigh.

He felt embarrassed by his own thoughts and feelings at this point, he was lucky no one could read minds because right now it was probably worse than a teen girl’s diary.

With a loud sigh, he leaned his head back and shut his eyes, “Maybe I should just go to sleep..?” Niké mumbled as a question for himself before realizing how wrong that sounded, as if he didn't want to spend time with the leader. His eyes shot open quickly as his face turned another shade of red, “I don't mean- I like this- I-I-”

Hanging his head, the man sighed in defeat. The more he spoke, the worse things seemed to get.

“I also seem to talk more when I'm nervous.. Excited..? I don't even know anymore… I like being around you, that's all I'm certain of,” Niké explained, or at least he tried to explain, it was a poor attempt to do so. All he could hope was that he hadn't turned himself into too much of a fool in front of Theo.

Feeling Theo let go of him, Niké looked up in disappointment before biting his lower lip and looking down at the ground. He had definitely made a fool of himself with his ridiculous rambling about everything and nothing.

Of course he would end up doing something like this. Now the leader would realize what a weird idiot he was and his little crush would pass in an instant. Maybe it already had since the man had let go of him and was just sitting in silence now.

Niké heard the man move but he kept his gaze on the floor, leaning back against the wall again with a sigh. Surely the man was just moving away from him so he wouldn't have to deal with his rambling anymore.

"Come here."

The grey-haired man looked up when he thought he could hear Theo speaking and for a second he just stared at the man. He had been sure that the man would leave, not lay down and stretch out his arms for him.

"I-If you want to that is. I m-mean you don't have to if you don't...But I wouldn't mind if you-"

Once more, just when the young man's blushing was starting to calm down and disappear, Theo made him blush again. It was a bit comforting to know that he wasn't the only one at a loss for how to handle this whole situation.

Quickly, he glanced around the room. He knew that Theo wanted to keep them a secret and really it was best that way, no one needed to know.

He hesitated a bit before moving over and laying down on his sleeping spot before cuddling up to the leader, his face red from blushing as he hid it against the chest of the other man and closed his eyes.

If Theo wasn't worried about being caught then he wouldn't be either. He would just enjoy this and let it happen. All he wanted was to feel Theo’s touch so he wouldn't complain when he got to do just that.

“You smell nice,” the young man mumbled quietly, enjoying the closeness of the other. The warmth of the leader brings him comfort and made him even more tired. He didn't want to sleep but if he stayed like this it was very likely that he would fall asleep.

He wanted Nike to lay with him but on the other hand, he was a bit afraid to lay with him. He was worried the other night guards would question their behavior but to question it, they would have to notice it. Besides, he was sure the night guards wouldn't be the ones to worry about. They were stationed to avoid attacks, not watch who snuggles with who.

He was surprised whenever the other man laid down and then snuggled up against him. After his initial surprise, he wrapped his arms around the gray-haired man, letting him snuggle up and get comfortable. It felt strange at first, to feel Nike's body against his own, but he adjusted to it.

Unconsciously, he began to run one of his hands down the other man's back, tracing the pattern of his spine. His other hand began to finger its fingers through the gray-locks of Nike. Nike's hair was rather soft to the touch, it felt like silk against his fingertips.

"You smell nice."

Theo chuckled and blushed at that statement. He didn't really know what he smelled like. He had been avoiding taking a bath for days now-settling for taking a rag with soap and water across the areas that might start smelling. He was normally the type to bathe every day. It was unusual for him to go this long without it. He was just afraid of how his burns would feel like under water.

"Why thank you," The gang leader whispered back,"You don't smell too bad yourself."

The last part he added was a joke. He leaned his head closer to Nike's, placing a kiss on his forehead,"Go ahead and try to get some sleep. I'll watch over you so you don't have to worry about nothing."

Maybe Nike would actually sleep this time, maybe being close to him would remind the man that he wasn't in whatever time his nightmares took place in. He also wanted Nike to know that he was there and would wake the man up as soon as they appeared. He wanted to help Nike through his rough sleep patterns, even if he couldn't fully heal his own.

All the uncertainties and questions filling his head seemed to disappear as he laid next to the other man. He couldn't even bring himself to worry about the consequences that this all could bring. The gang finding out was the least of his worries, that would be harder for Theo than for himself but if this somehow got to his superiors that he was cuddling with a wanted man, the Theodore Likkings that he was meant to try putting in prison, then there would definitely be trouble. None of that mattered now though. None of it.

How could he think about anything else when the leader ran one hand down his back and the other through his hair? Feeling the touch of the other man brought him a comfort he hadn't felt in ages. In a way it felt weird and he didn't want to accept it, scared that he’d let the man lure him into a false sense of safety, but on the other hand, he didn't expect Theo to do anything to him. He hadn't expected the silhouette of his nightmares to do so either though. You could never trust other people, not even your closest ones.

"Why thank you. You don't smell too bad yourself."

The sound of the leader's voice brought Niké back, stopping him from letting his thoughts worry him. He had to believe that Theo was one of the good ones and meant no harm, there was no reason for him to.

"Go ahead and try to get some sleep. I'll watch over you so you don't have to worry about nothing."

A soft smile spread across the grey-haired man's lips, but only briefly. Soon the smile had disappeared and he let out a soft sigh. He wished he could sleep without a problem but seeing as it had haunted him for the past few years without fail, he doubted it would disappear just because he managed to fall asleep in the arms of another.

“Theo..?” He whispered quietly after a few moments of silent thinking, he wanted to tell the other the truth, that way he might not scare the man off when he inevitably woke up screaming.

Niké’s mouth was open to continue but when he tried, it was impossible for him to even get a word out and that was because admitting to someone what really had happened meant admitting to something far worse and he just couldn't. He couldn't say the words that would make what had happened that night become actual reality and not just a nightmare that refused to let him go.

“It's nothing…” was all the young man managed to force out with the lump that seemed to have formed in his throat. He wasn't sure if he would ever be able to tell anyone. There was the chance that it would feel better to let it off his chest but it was more likely that it would break him completely.

The man shut his eyes tightly, having decided that he would give sleep a try despite not having any hopes of a successful result. It was far more likely that he would wake up screaming in panic and make a total and complete fool of himself.

It didn't take long for Niké to fall asleep, the man was exhausted even if he had refused to admit it and the comfort of laying with Theo’s arms around himself definitely helped with tricking him into sleeping.

Being held by the leader seemed to be helping as the man laid peacefully and quietly for a few hours, slowly passing the 3 hour mark that he usually set for himself but still nothing. Had Theo managed to chase away the nightmare that would otherwise haunt the man’s mind?

It didn't last long though, soon the same dream as always started creeping back. It was always the same. He had been stuck in that same old bed a thousand times, staring at the empty doorway. Just that was enough to send him into a panic.

When the silhouette in the door appeared, as it always would, he became stiff with fear, every muscle in his body becoming tense ready for flight.

Every time he slept it was the same, he had the dream memorized to the smallest of details, even if all he wanted was to escape and suppress it. He could still make out the furniture and details of his old room. How the silhouette in the door rocked back and forth a little, struggling to keep upright and holding onto the door frame for stability as it just quietly stared at him.

“I’m sorry…” the grey-haired man unconsciously started whispering, his voice barely audible and on the verge of cracking as he continued on, “I’m sorry.. I won't do it again… Sorry… Please… I won't… It was the last time… I’m sorry…” the man pleaded quietly as he started trembling.

Pleading to the silhouette had never worked, it hadn't done so when it happened and it hadn’t done so in his dreams either, yet he kept trying in the hopes that one day it would. Besides, what else was there to do?

It didn't work tonight either though because it wasn't long before the silhouette released its grip on the door frame and came charging at him, breaking him out of his sleep.

“No!” The man exclaimed, panic taking control over his body as he attempted to get away from the person next to him, not realizing who it was in the panic state that Niké currently was in. All the man wanted was to get away from anyone and anything.

Attempting to shield his head the man continued pleading, his voice shaking and panic-filled, “I’m sorry..! Please I swear I won't do it again, I'm sorry..! I’ll be better… I’m sorry..!” Even if the man was awake, his mind was still stuck in the dream. His heart pounding rapidly as fear and panic filled the young man.