Chapter - 40
Nani woke up with one thought.
A terrible one.
A mischievous one.
A thought that would absolutely annoy Sky.
He wanted to see Sky jealous again.
Not because he wanted to hurt him.
Just because Sky's jealous face was hilarious.
---
At breakfast, Sky was reading through a report.
Nani walked into the room.
He looked at Sky.
Then at Dew.
Then smiled.
"Dewww."
Dew immediately looked suspicious.
"What?"
"Come here."
Sky's eyes lifted from the report.
Dew slowly pointed at himself.
"Me?"
"Yes."
Dew approached.
Nani grabbed his arm dramatically.
"You're my favorite brother."
Sky's pen stopped.
Dew's eyes widened.
"Oh."
Tee whispered,
"Here we go."
Nani leaned against Dew's shoulder.
Sky calmly put his report down.
"Nani."
Nani looked over.
"Yes, Mr. Sky?"
Sky's jaw tightened.
Dew nearly choked.
"Don't call me that."
Nani smiled.
"Why?"
"Because you know what you're doing."
"Doing what?"
Sky stood.
Dew immediately stepped backward.
"Nope. I'm not getting involved."
Nani laughed.
"Sky, don't be jealous."
"I'm not jealous."
"Really?"
"Really."
Nani turned back toward Dew.
"See? He's fine."
Sky walked over.
"Perfectly fine."
He gently took Nani's hand.
"Come here."
Nani grinned.
"Why?"
"Because I want my boyfriend."
Dew covered his face.
Tee whispered,
"That's actually smooth."
Nani's cheeks warmed.
"But I was talking to Dew."
Sky nodded.
"You can talk to him."
Then he leaned closer.
"But you can do it from my side."
Nani blinked.
"What?"
Sky pulled him against his chest.
"There."
Nani looked up.
"You're ridiculous."
"Probably."
Dew slowly backed away.
"I've decided breakfast isn't worth this."
---
Later that afternoon, Nani was sitting in the garden.
Sky was taking a business call nearby.
Nani watched him.
His posture was different when he worked.
Cold.
Focused.
Commanding.
Then Sky glanced toward Nani.
His entire expression softened.
Nani smiled.
He suddenly had an idea.
He picked up his phone and took a picture of Sky.
Sky noticed.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
Nani typed something.
Sky walked toward him.
"Show me."
"No."
"Nani."
"No."
Sky reached for the phone.
Nani held it above his head.
"You can't reach."
Sky stared.
"...You're challenging me?"
Nani grinned.
"Maybe."
Sky stepped closer.
Nani took a step back.
Then another.
Until-
His back met the garden wall.
Sky stopped in front of him.
Nani swallowed.
"Uh..."
Sky smiled.
"Still confident?"
Nani looked up at him.
"...Less."
Sky gently lowered Nani's hand.
"Got you."
Nani laughed.
"You cheated."
"I used height."
"That's cheating!"
"That's genetics."
Nani burst out laughing.
Sky looked at him for a moment.
Then quietly said,
"You know..."
"What?"
"I like this."
Nani tilted his head.
"What?"
"You teasing me."
Nani smiled.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Sky brushed his thumb over Nani's knuckles.
"It means you're comfortable enough to be annoying."
Nani gasped.
"ANNoying?"
Sky nodded.
"Very."
Nani immediately smacked his shoulder.
"Take it back!"
Sky laughed.
"No."
"Take it back!"
"Never."
Nani chased him across the garden.
And for once, the most feared man in the city was running away from exactly one thing:
his boyfriend's revenge.
From the balcony, Dew watched them.
Tee stood beside him.
Dew sighed.
"They're ridiculous."
Tee smiled.
"Yeah."
Dew nodded.
"But kind of cute."
A pause.
Then Sky shouted from the garden-
"DEW!"
Dew immediately ducked.
"I TAKE IT BACK!"
Nani's laughter echoed through the entire house.
And Sky?
He was smiling too.
....
Sky had survived gunfights.
He had survived betrayals.
He had survived negotiations with men who thought threatening him was a brilliant career choice.
But apparently, none of that had prepared him for Nani deciding to flirt first.
---
Sky was in his office, reading through a report.
Nani walked in.
No greeting.
No teasing.
Just a suspicious little smile.
Sky looked up.
"...What?"
Nani walked around the desk.
"Nothing."
"You've got that look."
"What look?"
"The one that means I'm about to regret asking."
Nani laughed.
Then he stepped closer and loosely wrapped his arms around Sky's neck.
Sky froze.
Completely.
Nani looked up at him.
"Hi."
Sky stared.
"...Hi."
Nani smiled.
"You're cute when you're confused."
"I'm not confused."
"You are."
Sky's hand settled carefully at Nani's waist.
"What are you doing?"
"Flirting."
Sky blinked.
"...With me?"
Nani nodded proudly.
"Yes."
Sky leaned back slightly.
"You've lost your mind."
"Maybe."
Nani moved a little closer.
Sky's entire train of thought derailed.
"You've been learning from me."
Nani smiled.
"Maybe I've been paying attention."
Sky stared at him for a second.
Then laughed quietly.
"That's dangerous."
"Why?"
"Because you have no idea what you're doing to me."
Nani's confidence faltered for half a second.
"Oh."
Sky noticed.
His smile turned softer.
"Still brave?"
Nani nodded.
"Very."
"Good."
Sky gently pulled him closer.
"But if we're playing this game..."
Nani raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Sky leaned in, stopping just short of him.
"...I'm not letting you win."
Nani's cheeks immediately turned pink.
"Wait."
Sky smiled.
"What's wrong?"
"You changed the rules!"
"There were rules?"
"No!"
"Exactly."
Nani laughed and buried his face against Sky's shoulder.
Sky chuckled, wrapping his arms around him.
"Come here, trouble."
Nani looked up again.
"You like it?"
"Very much."
Nani smiled.
"Then maybe I'll do it again tomorrow."
Sky's expression turned amused.
"Tomorrow?"
"Yep."
"Then I'll be ready."
Nani narrowed his eyes.
"You sound confident."
"I am."
"Why?"
Sky kissed his forehead.
"Because now I know you're just as weak when I flirt back."
Nani's face went bright red.
"Shut up."
Sky laughed.
"Thought so."
Nani hugged him tighter anyway.
And the terrifying mob boss?
Absolutely defeated.
Not by an enemy.
Not by a rival.
By one mischievous boyfriend with his arms around his neck.
....
Sky was sitting behind his desk, trying to finish one last report.
Trying.
Because Nani had decided his lap was apparently the best seat in the entire mansion.
Nani settled there comfortably, arms loosely around Sky's shoulders.
Sky looked at him.
"You know there's a chair."
"I don't like it."
"Why?"
"It's boring."
Sky sighed.
"Of course."
Nani smiled.
"You don't mind."
"No."
"See?"
Sky's hand settled around Nani's waist.
"You've become very confident lately."
"Someone taught me."
"Apparently I created my own problem."
"Exactly."
Sky laughed.
Nani leaned closer.
Sky looked at him for a moment, then gently kissed him.
It was soft and brief.
When they separated, Nani's cheeks were pink.
Sky smiled.
"Still confident?"
Nani narrowed his eyes.
"Very."
Then, before Sky could react, Nani gave him a playful little bite on the shoulder.
Sky immediately gasped.
"Ow!"
Nani burst into laughter.
"You should've seen your face!"
Sky stared at him in disbelief.
"You bit me."
"You deserved it."
"For what?"
"For being smug."
Sky shook his head, trying not to laugh.
"You are unbelievable."
Nani grinned.
"You love me."
Sky's expression softened.
"Unfortunately."
Nani gasped dramatically.
"Unfortunately?!"
Sky pulled him closer.
"Very unfortunately."
Nani tried to escape his arms, laughing.
Sky held him securely.
"Now you're stuck."
"Let go!"
"No."
"Sky!"
"Yes, Nani?"
Nani glared at him.
Then smiled.
"...I still won."
Sky laughed.
"Keep telling yourself that."
From outside the office, Dew's voice suddenly echoed-
"ARE YOU TWO DONE FLIRTING IN THERE?"
Nani shouted back,
"NO!"
Sky looked at him.
Nani looked back.
Both burst out laughing.