Love is an art ch.13

Love is an Art

Chapter Thirteen: Unwanted topic
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Nikola wakes up to a familiar position. Demitri apparently turned in the middle of the night, something he would have had to of been awake for in this small bed, and wrapped an arm around Nikola. It's a usual position, sad to say, but the proximity this time is very off and very awkward to Nikola.

"Holy-! Damn our son can move fast!" Traian says, whistling in appreciation and making Nikola tense up.

"Honey, don't wake them!" Sabina whispers, grabbing his arm and closing the door.

"Demitri…" Nikola groans, pushing him off the bed. "I'm going to kill you!" He say, tossing a pillow at Demitri and waking him up.

"Owwww Nikola what was that for?" Demitri whines and Nikola grabs another pillow, chucking it at him.

"For being an idiot! Your parents came in and saw you spooning me you pervert! Which I know you did on purpose!" Nikola yells and Demitri looks up at him.

"Come on Nikola, we always sleep like that! You like-!"

"N-not in a small bed with your family around! They're going to get the wrong idea!"

Demitri laughs a little. "I'm pretty sure they already have the wrong idea, Nikola!"

"It's not funny! How are you so ok with this stuff?" Nikola asks flustered and Demitri frowns.

"Because the idea of us being with together isn't the worst thing in the world to me…" Demitri mumbles before getting up. "L-let's just go eat. I have a lot planned today."

Nikola goes to say something, only to have Demitri leave before he can. "Ugh…damn it Demitri…" He groans, following him downstairs.

"Good morning boys! Sleep well?" Traian asks, smirking at them.

"Kind of…I guess." Demitri mumbles and Traian huffs.

"Come on now! If you're miserable it's no fun to tease you!" Traian says and Demitri pouts.

"You shouldn't tease me anyways."

"I can't help it! I saw my boy spooning another! Teasing is necessary!"

Nikola looks at the two and speaks up. "It doesn't matter if he spoons me…so teasing him about it is a bit of a waste."

"Oh~! So you enjoy it?" Traian asks and Demitri blushes.

"I don't hate it." Nikola says, eating something to keep from talking more.

"Oh yeah? Well then, I suppose you do have a soft spot for my son! I suppose I will allow you to date!" Traian says, making Nikola choke on his food.

"Dad don't say that! Nikola hates the idea of dating me!" Demitri says and Nikola looks at him for a minute before looking to Traian.

"I appreciate the blessing. I don't hate the idea, it would just be a bad idea." Nikola mumbles, blushing a little.

"You…um…we should go!" Demitri says, jumping up from his seat flustered. "W-we have to get to Bran castle before the crowds form!" He goes over to Nikola's chair and grabs his wrist, pulling him up. "You can tease us later or something dad." Demitri calls out as he drags Nikola out the door.

"Huh? Hurry back! Your father and I took the night shifts to spend time with you this week, so you need to be back by six to watch your siblings!" Sabina says and Traian smirks.

"That's right, no late night dates this week." Traian teases, making them both blush.

"W-we'll be back by then! I'm taking your car!" Demitri yells, taking the keys and dragging Nikola out of the house.

"Wh-what's the rush?" Nikola asks as he's dragged out to the car.

"U-um…I just…wanted to get there before a bunch of people did…" Demitri says awkwardly and Nikola raises a brow.

"So…hearing that…made you want to leave, right?" Nikola asks and Demitri looks away. "Alright, we don't really have to talk about that. It's not relative anyways, right?"

Demitri nods. "Right…that doesn't matter…anyways! Let's go!" He says and they both get in before Demitri drives them to the infamous Bran Castle.

"You really stayed silent during the whole ride here…that was weird." Nikola says and Demitri blushes some.

"S-sorry…I'm tired…" Demitri mumbles, making Nikola come over and place a hand on his forehead.

"Are you ok…?" He asks, making Demitri go bright red.

"N-Nikola…I'm fine! Let's go!" Demitri takes his hand and drags him off to the castle. "This place is great! I loved Vlad Tepes so anything to do with his life is the best!"

Nikola looks at him curiously as he's dragged. "…So…why haven't you drawn Vlad? I mean, you draw me all the time because you 'admire' me or whatever, yet you don't draw this man you admire even more?" He asks and Demitri laughs nervously.

"Well, you know, there's only so much you can do without a real model!" Demitri points out.

"Ah, makes sense. That would be logical seeing as how a real model has more range…" Nikola mumbles and Demitri smiles.

"That's right! Anyways, let's go inside!" Demitri says, leading him in. "Now then, how much do you know about Vlad?"

"Um…not much…" Nikola says, lying. He knows Demitri would love to tell him all about it, and really his knowledge is quite limited, so he might as well throw him a bone. Besides, something is bothering Demitri so he should do whatever he can for him.

"Not much? No way! Allow me to fix that, dragă." Demitri says, smiling at him.

"Hm? Dragă? Is that an insult or something?" Nikola asks and Demitri laughs a little.

"Not in the least, Nikola!" He brings him all the way in to start their tour. "So, as I'm sure you know Vlad, while looked down upon by other countries, is actually a hero to us!" Demitri says as they wander the halls.

"Yeah…I know of that…but what I don't get is why he's so great to you…" Nikola says, making Demitri light up.

"Oh! Well! That would be because, even though his ways were eccentric, he got the job done! To those who were good he was great!" Demitri continues rambling on about Vlad and random little facts about his life as they go through more of the castle.

Nikola is grateful, honestly, since Demitri is no longer so tense and awkward. The boy is back to his stupid grin, taking Nikola's hand all the time to bring him to another room, and saying random praises to him again. He's glad, in one way. In another way, though, he's scared. Nikola isn't stupid; he knows what has Demitri worked up. He knows discussion of that topic is far from over.

Nikola isn't sure when it will come back; a month, a year, when they get home. All he knows is, given Demitri's reaction, it is a topic that whether they want it to or not, will be returning. Looking at Demitri as he excitedly drags him down the halls of the castle, Nikola has to admit spending time with the boy in public with just the two of them is one of his favorite things to do. It probably wouldn't be the worst thing to date Demitri, but even knowing that, he still won't seek it out. Being friends with Demitri is one of the best things to happen to him and he would never want to lose him. Dating him would risk that chance, and Nikola refuses to risk something so important to him.

"Oh! Hey! We still have time!" Demitri says as they head out of the castle. "Would you like to go get dinner?" He asks and Nikola shrugs.

"Why not? Better be somewhere good though." Nikola teases and Demitri grins.

"I would never take you anywhere but the best!" Demitri says and Nikola blushes.

"Ugh…it should be illegal to be so…" Nikola trails off, stopping himself as Demitri looks at him curiously.

"So what?"

"N-nothing…let's just go." He stutters out, horrified at the fact he almost called Demitri cute to his face. Hell, him saying out loud at all is unacceptable.

"Um…ok then…" Demitri mumbles before smiling again and taking his hand. "I know this really great place you will love! It's a little expensive, but think of it as me paying you for helping out with babysitting when we return!"

Nikola groans. "We're not going to an expensive place. I won't let you waste your money."

The smile on Demitri's face suddenly turns mischievous. "Oh, we're not? Well I know that I'm going…and getting you food. I know what you like after all. I mean, if you want to sit in the car and waste my money I suppose you can…but I think it will be best if you just go with it. Don't you?" He asks with an overly sweet voice, making Nikola twitch slightly.

"Y-you…since when can you be evil?" Nikola asks annoyed and Demitri laughs, letting go of Nikola's hand and wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"I always could be! I have a younger brother! Being 'evil' is necessary sometimes~! Now let's go get dinner!"

Nikola sighs to himself, following his excited friend and repeating something over and over again in his head. 'This is not a date.'
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A/N: DEAR GOD I AM SOOO SORRY IT HAS TAKEN SO LONG! I have been unbelievably busy this week! There were projects and tests and quizzes and dog-sitting at some rich chick's house and losing my own dog under the house! Needless to say I have gotten NOTHING done this week. Not a damn thing. I am so sorry for that. lD