When Theo broke their kiss, the grey-haired man was pulled out of his own thoughts of worry. Quietly he studied the face of the leader as their foreheads rested against each other.

Suddenly Niké felt the other man’s hand move underneath his hoodie and he glanced down a bit, his face turning shades of red at the sensation of Theo's hand against his skin. Never had he thought that something as simple as the touch of another would be able to make his heart race the way it currently was.

As he glanced back up, his cheeks still red from blushing, his eyes met the emerald gaze of the other and he returned the smile that the gang leader held in his face. It had been so long since Niké felt this happy but on the inside it was also eating him up. He knew it was wrong, that he had to stop this, for everyone’s sake.

Once more, Theo unknowingly pulled Niké out of his thoughts, first giving his nose a soft peck before moving onto the grey-haired man's lips. With any and all worry seemingly having disappeared in an instant, Niké put an arm around the neck of the gang leader. He wanted to be close to the man, to never let go and just stay here for the rest of their lives, stay right here in this moment.

Shutting his eyes and kissing the man back was only enough to escape his own thoughts briefly though and soon they would start snaking their way back into his mind, reminding him of how cruel this was to the man in front of him, how he would never escape what a bad person he really was and by doing this, by letting it all go on, he would continue to be that same bad person.

Even if Theo didn't appear to be it, the man was fragile, he had lost so much and now it felt as if Niké was giving him false hope that things would work out, that the two of them could have a happy life together. It wasn't that he didn't want that, anyone would want to be with someone they like, love even, and live happily for the rest of their days but this was no fairytale and in the end, this would never be able to work out, even if they both wanted it to. When the gang leader found out the truth about him, there was no way he'd want him anymore.

Niké had to leave, he knew that. Soon. Maybe even tonight? He would feel horrible for not showing up to whatever surprise Theo had planned for him, it would probably hurt him just as much as it would hurt Theo but maybe that was best? Imagine how much it would hurt to leave after they'd had their first proper date..?

"I know you're worried about something. I'm not sure what it is that's bothering you but you know that you're safe here and you can confide with me anytime."

The lump that had formed in Niké's stomach grew, he wanted to be honest, to tell the man what exactly was worrying him but he didn't want the other to hate him. He wished there was an easy way for everything to work out smoothly. Or even that he could go back in time, to before he had gotten to know and fall for the leader.

Instead of answering, the grey-haired man remained quiet, shutting his eyes and trying to just enjoy the kisses that the other man was planting on his skin. Surely there had to be a way out, he just hadn't found it yet, that was all. Right? They could have a happy ending, surely they could. This was no Disney movie though, he knew better, yet he clung onto any strand of hope he could.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm trying to say goodbye-"

Being pulled into a hug by Theo switched his attention, hearing the weak whisper of the man and he was quick to hug him back, wanting to comfort him as best as he could.

"I want good memories here. And besides, unless you're hiding some big secret from me, the chances of you getting pregnant are zero."

Niké met the gaze of the other man and offered a weak smile, “No big secrets here, I promise.”

I promise.

Those two single words almost physically hurt him to utter. The lie practically burning his tongue. While it was true that he couldn't get pregnant, if he could then he’d certainly missed something too, the fact that he had no big secrets was a lie, a big fat lie. He carried many secrets, more than most probably did but now, if ever, was not the time to tell Theo about them.

He had fallen hard for Theo, dangerously hard. Typically, Niké was not one to let people in this easily. Alleya had practically forced her way in, not that he minded too much, she was a good friend, mostly. But Theo, Theo hadn't forced his way in, in fact he had let the man in with open arms, he couldn't explain it but he was attracted to the man, he wanted him, even if it wasn't allowed. Without doing much at all, the leader had already gotten Niké dangerously close to spilling out the truth, several times.

He wanted so desperately to believe that it would all turn out fine but it wouldn't, rather it couldn't. They may come from quite similar backgrounds and even if there was almost nothing but clothes in between them physically, there was a whole brick wall really. A brick wall keeping them on opposite sides, ensuring that they wouldn't be able to get a happy ending. They would have to go separate paths eventually, but Niké was the only one who knew that.

"Mhm when did I get so lucky to find a guy like you?"

Niké smiled weakly, sadly even, at that, if only Theo knew the truth. Would the leader still like him if he knew the real him? All the horrible things of his past or his current mission, the one meant to put Theo behind bars. Surely he wouldn't. Surely the man would want him dead. He wouldn't blame him if that was the case, in fact if he was in Theo’s position he would probably feel the same.

As the other man let go of him and stood up, he instantly felt cold, the body heat of the other no longer warming him. Niké grabbed the hand offered to him, pulling himself off the ground before wrapping his arms around the gang leader and pulling himself close to him, leaning the side of his head against the chest of the man. Even if he'd only been without it for a split second, he'd quickly grown to miss the warmth of Theo. It was dangerous to have grown this attached to the other, he knew that yet he couldn't seem to even try to distance himself from the man, he didn't just want him, he needed him.

"We should get back. It's time for you to meet your mentor."

A soft whine of protest came from the grey-haired man, he didn't want to go back, here it was just the two of them, no need to worry about others seeing them and judging them. No need to hide, they could behave like love drunk teenagers without the risk of being caught. And no need for a final decision…

Niké dreaded that the most, he had to make a decision and it was soon. Once they left here, he would have to make a decision, break a heart or break the law. It was a tough decision and deep down he knew which one was supposed to be the right one but that also meant that this could be the last time he could be this close to Theo, a man he'd fallen head over heels for, a man who understood him and a man who actually cared about him.

"And patrols will be back soon. Let's not make them jealous to find the leader giving the newbie special treatment. They might all begin to demand kisses from me and secret hide-out spots."

Forcing his worries away once more, Niké glanced up at the leader, a soft chuckle escaping his mouth as he tried to bury his worries, “That would be one way to keep morale up,” he told the man with a soft smirk on his lips, “But I don't think I want to share you so I suppose we will have to go,” he then added with a soft sigh.

Reluctantly he pulled his arms back to himself, letting Theo go as he himself was once again left with a feeling of coldness, the warm body of the taller man no longer pressed against his smaller frame.

“So what type of person is my mentor?” Niké asked, his pale blue gaze meeting the other’s striking green one. His hand found the leader’s and as he began the walk back to the house with him, he gave the man’s hand a soft squeeze. Never ever did he want to let go but he would have to eventually, he knew that. Eventually all this would be nothing but a faint memory of what could have been.

"No, no. No special treatment."

At that, Niké answered with a slight pout, he didn't say anything to complain though, Theo was right, he would find out soon enough. Besides, there were more important things for him to worry about, like what to do about Theo and him.

The right thing was to leave, sooner rather than later. Tonight even. But he couldn't bring himself to do that, he’d never felt this way about someone else before and had those feelings be returned, he wasn't ready to give that up.

The world was such a cruel place really.

"It's this chick named Skai. She's one of the elder gang members but I think you'll really like her. However, She can be quite ill-tempered at first impression."

When Theo seemed to give in, going back on his previous statement about giving no special treatment, Niké couldn't help but to smirk softly.

Skai sounded like an interesting woman, but a mentor was the last thing he needed. He did understand why Theo thought he did but the leader also had no idea of the thoughts spiraling through his head. The young man didn't want to get more involved with the gang, he was already struggling with his decision to leave and this surely wouldn't make it easier, the more he became a part of the gang and started caring for them, the harder it would be to go.

Why did the right thing have to feel so wrong?

As they got closer and closer to the house, Niké found himself holding onto Theo’s hand tighter and tighter, he didn’t want to let go, this could be his last time alone with the other before he left, because he had made his mind, unfortunately.

Tonight the grey haired man would leave, he had to. The longer he let this all go on, the harder it would be, not just for him but also for Theo, it was best this way. Theo deserved someone who wouldn't lie to him like Niké was. It would hurt them both, he knew that, but the truth would be worse for Theo, at least that's what he thought.

Giving the other man’s hand a squeeze, Niké stopped hesitantly, quietly looking up at the leader for a moment before opening his mouth to speak, “I really like you, you know that right..?” He paused briefly, considering what to say next. “Thank you for everything, it means more than you might think,” he told him before his gaze dropped a little, “I never want to hurt you and if I ever do, just know that it's not intentional and I'm sorry. This all feels so new to me and I don't always know what to do… I'm just trying to do what I think is right.”

He had to get it off his chest, he had to tell Theo that he was sorry, even if the man wouldn't know what he was sorry for until later. He could only hope that this wouldn't make Theo too suspicious of what he was going to do and that the leader would shrug it off as nervousness regarding their relationship, nothing more.

"You could never hurt me. I like you too and you will never ever hurt me."

Niké smiled sadly at that, his free hand on the back of Theo's neck as their lips were less than an inch from each other. He wished the leader’s statement could be true but he knew it wouldn't be, not when he found out the truth.

"Freeze! Hands up in the air!"

In an instant, the warmth of the other man disappeared. Niké looked up at him, hearing the quiet swearing. He needed to get Theo out of here, even if that meant revealing who he really was.

"Hands up in the air! Now!"

Niké slowly turned towards the officers, raising his hands while doing so. He had never considered the possibility of this happening and now he quickly needed to think of a plan to save Theo, even if the man would grow to hate him once the truth was out there.

He couldn't help but feel that this was his fault, he was the one who had stopped them, maybe if they had just kept walking then they wouldn't have been found by these officers. But what were they even doing out here?

“Officers, what seems to be the problem here?” The young man asked, hoping that maybe, just maybe he wouldn't have to spill the truth.

“Stay out of this princess, we’re only here for your boyfriend so I suggest you keep your pretty mouth shut,” one of the officers answered, a disgusting grin decorating his lips. There was a reason many referred to police officers as pigs, guys like this was that reason. Men like him are why the police were so hated among most members of society, criminals or not.

Niké’s jaw tightened, eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at the man. “And why's that? As far as I'm aware he has done nothing wrong, we're talking a walk in the woods, since when was that a crime?”

“I told you to stay quiet, no? You don't even know half of what this man has done, so shut up and you won't have to get in any trouble, understand sweetheart?” The man questioned, his tone was almost as if was speaking to a child and Niké definitely couldn't handle being spoken to in such a demeaning manner. It was playing at his nerves and that grin on the officer's face didn't help one bit.

Slowly, the grey-haired man let his hands drop to his sides, glaring a hole through the man, “Niké York, badge number 16520. I know every single case he's a suspect in, in detail. Now as you're interfering with an ongoing investigation, I demand to know what the problem here is, understand sweetheart?” He questioned, the annoyance he was feeling being easily heard in his tone. He hated people like that police officer, unfortunately enough to reveal his true identity in front of Theo.

“Seeing as I have found no evidence tying him to any crimes, I'm very curious to know what you three have on him,” he continued, eyes glued on the three officers, not daring to look to the side of him at Theo. All he could do now was try to get him out of this now.