Albireo

Nigel knew everyone in his building by the feelings they brought out in him.

There was Mr. Jones, old and struggling, who made him feel pity and help the man every time they crossed paths. The first time he’d carried the old man’s bags up to his apartment and even put away the food despite the asshole cursing him out every second he was in the place.

Tabitha made him miss home, specifically Gabi, her red hair a distraction when they first met in the laundry when the fucking machine ate her quarters. He’d given her his and listened to a story about her college professor being an asshole when about the essay she’d written about the industrial revolution. Gabi had fucking loved history, filled their place with obscure books that Nigel kept even after she’d moved out but burned the night he got back from the hospital with images of that greasy bastard Charlie in his head.

Then there was Adam.

Adam made him feel different.

Adam seemed to think Nigel was a hit man, which wasn’t too far from the truth really and still invited him over to view the stars because they’d met when Nigel was drunk singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” on the roof as he stared up at them. Adam had gone up there with his telescope and asked him to stop a number of times until he realized there was little use. He’d coaxed the music out of him and got Nigel to look at stars quietly instead which started a weekly tradition that Nigel couldn’t shake.

“Did you kill anyone today?”

Nigel laughed as he put his eye over the fucking lookie hole or whatever the fuck it was.

“No, Star. I didn’t kill anyone. Today was a non-killing day. Did YOU kill anyone?”

“I’ve never killed anyone, but I know you have. You told me.”

Nigel had much to his stupidity in hopes to scare him away. Adam was not easily scared.

“I haven’t killed anyone in months,” he confessed, “Darko thinks I’m too high strung.”

Adam played with the telescope. “Do you see the bright ones at the top?”

“Yes. Important somehow?”

“It’s a double star. Albireo.”

Nigel stared at the two stars, one a bit brighter than the other. “A double star?”

“Stars are sometimes gravitationally bound to each other and form a binary system.”

Nigel felt Adam’s breath on his earlobe and shivered. “So they don’t want to be apart.”

“No, it’s not that they don’t want to. They’re stars. They just can’t.”

He turned and Adam was still quite close. “I learn something new every week with you, Star.”

Adam smiled. “Me too. Last week you told me how to break someone’s hand in four places, remember?”

Nigel suddenly couldn’t help but kiss him, a soft touch of lips that made Adam freeze and not reciprocate. He felt like an asshole and pulled back, not saying a fucking word.

What the fuck was that?

He got to the door as Adam called out, “Nigel, stop,” and turned to see him with fingers on his lips and a puzzled expression.

“Darling, I just need to step away it’ll be fine.”

Adam walked over and stopped right in front of him.

“You’re attracted to me?”

Nigel sighed. “Darling it’s fine, just—“

“You should tell someone when you’re attracted to them. It’s very confusing not to.”

Nigel smiled. “I will take that under advisement. Though I wouldn’t just say it that way, Star. It’s more like…what did you call them? Double Stars?”

Adam nodded. “Yes. Gravitationally bound to each other.”

Nigel touched his cheek and Adam leaned in to his hand. “I like that explanation much more. I’m,” he caressed down Adam’s cheek, “Gravitationally bound to you. You make me feel whole.”

“You can kiss me again. If you want to.”

Nigel gently pulled him in and this kiss was so much better, the soft shiver of Adam’s lips against his and the taste of him that made Nigel hungry for more.

His Star.

He was happy to finally figured out just what Adam made him feel.

Whole.