A/N  This is a short chapter. It was originally going to be much longer, but I have split it in two because the two parts had such different moods and I didn't want the music to go with the second part to weigh down the lightness of the first part.  So this is kind of a fluffy connecting chapter.

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Chapter 14

Finn

I kept my word and texted Nico that evening after Benji, Jonah, Brett, Aiden and even little Liam helped me move all of the rest of my stuff into the apartment.  We celebrated with getting take-out from a Chinese place that Benji loved and then we all relaxed and watched a movie together.  After the movie Jonah carried a sleeping Liam out to Brett's car and the four of them left, after which Benji and I cleaned up.  Benji was spending the night, I think he was worried that I'd be lonely on my first night in my new place.  He'd mentioned that Ajax had gone to have dinner with Nico so they could have some brotherly bonding time.

I sent the text before going to brush my teeth.  Benji was already tucked into bed, tired after all the moving and I'm sure he was up late last night playing 'naughty student and strict teacher' with Ajax.  I chuckled to myself at the thought.  The two of them were really great together and once they finally opened up and shared their feelings, things had really fallen in to place, it wouldn't be long I was sure, until they made their relationship permanent on paper as well.

Finn:  All moved in, apartment looks great.  Thanks again for your help yesterday.

It didn't take long before I got a reply.

Nico:  I was glad to help.  Do you have everything you need?

I chuckled, one thing that would never change about Nico was the way he looked after people.  He would give someone he cared about the shirt off his back if they needed it, without a second thought.

Finn:  I'm good for right now.  Thanks.

I thought about what else to say...I liked even just texting with him, knowing he wasn't far away.

Finn:  Did you have a good dinner with Ajax?

Nico:  Yes.  Great fun! We ate up in the pub and watched a soccer match, played some pool.  He's spending the night since he had a few beers.

Finn:  Good plan.  Benji's staying over here.  I give him 20 minutes before he starts missing AJ.

Nico:  Same here.  Jax keeps wondering if Benji's okay.  Do the two of you want to come for a late breakfast tomorrow morning...my chef makes a great Sunday brunch.

Finn:  Sure.  Be there @ 10?

Nico:  Perfect, see you then.

Finn:  Ok...night Nico.

Nico:  Night Finn.

I was going to get a daybed for the studio for when guests came, but I hadn't yet, so I told Benji we could share my bed since it was plenty big.

"What are you thinking about Benji?" I asked when I came out of the bathroom and crawled under the covers on my side.  He looked deep in thought, his eyebrows wrinkled up.

"Just wondering if Ajax misses me," he said thoughtfully.

"I was just texting Nico, he says he's fretting over you too, wondering if you're okay.  You should text him.  Nico also invited us for brunch tomorrow morning, Ajax is spending the night there, so I told him we'd come."

"Oh good...at least he's not lonely."  Benji's face perked up into a smile.  "That'll be fun!"

"Yeah, it should." I agreed.

"So...what's going on with you and Nico?" 

I chuckled.  I had expected this question from Benji, couldn't believe it took him this long.

"We're friends.  Getting to know each other again."

"Just friends?"  Benji wiggled his eyebrows with a smirk.

"Just friends Banjo!  Go to sleep," I scolded, messing up his hair, making him look cross.  Benji and his damn hair.

"Don't call me that again," he growled jokingly.

"I can't help it, but I won't as long as you keep your hands to yourself tonight.  I don't want to wake up with your boner pressed into my back like last time...that means no spooning."

"You can be the big spoon?" he offered.

"No!"

"No?"

"No."

"You're so mean," he huffed as he rolled over, facing the other direction.  "I'm not used to sleeping alone, if I keep you up all night, just realize it's your own fault."

"Come here," I sighed, "but I'm the big spoon."

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"I'm so full I might burst," I moaned as we sat out on the deck after a huge meal.  I was laying on a chaise longue rubbing my bloated stomach.  For four people the Chef had made a ton of food, but Nico reminded me that he had a crew of 10 between the Captain and his assistant, the Chef, a few stewards, cleaning staff and security.  Brunch was served in the main dining room buffet style and we brought our plates out to the same table that Nico and I had lunch at, the crew served themselves as soon as we finished making our plates, so at least food wasn't going to waste.

There was Eggs Benedict, bacon, toast, bagels, pancakes, pastries, fruit salad, yogurt, granola, fresh squeezed orange juice and amazing coffee that Nico brought back from Columbia.

A little later, Benji and Ajax had come back from looking around the ballroom to see the paintings Nico had bought.  "Your paintings look amazing in there," Benji said as he plopped down on a chaise next to me.  "No matter how many times I see them, I'm still amazed. I just don't get where you get your ideas.  When you have a fresh canvas, how do you decide what to paint?"

"I don't know, something usually pops into my head...it's hard to explain.  Then I start  painting and my brush just leads me...or the colours inspire me.  Sorry if that makes no sense."

"No, I think I get it...well, maybe not, but I'll take your word for it."  Benji looked over to where Ajax and Nico were sitting talking.  "Nico, can we just lounge here all day?  I feel like we're on a cruise or something, listening to the water lapping against the hull."

"Yes, Benji, I have no plans today as long as no one else does," Nico replied grinning agreeably.

"Boo, can we stay for the afternoon?" Benji asked Ajax.

"Yeah baby, I think a 'do nothing' day is in order, we've all been so busy lately."

"What about you Finn, any plans?" he asked, turning back to me.  I was laying with my eyes closed behind my sunglasses.

"Since I can't move, I'm all for staying right here," I said sleepily, falling into a food coma.

"We should do this every Sunday, just chillax together...or maybe we should go to Malibu next weekend, or up North, maybe do a winery tour, oh my god there are so many cool things we could do...how to choose..."

"Benji," Ajax said firmly.

"Yeah, Boo?"

"How many pastries did you have?"

"Dunno," Benji muttered.

"Not so much sugar next time baby."

"Okay."

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Nico

I was enjoying the lazy afternoon in the sun, trying my best to concentrate on the business magazine Ajax brought me, but I couldn't tear my eyes off of Finn.  Laying there on one of the chaise longues in shorts and a plain white T-shirt, his long legs seemed to stretch out forever.  I could hear Ajax chuckling and I looked up to see him watching me with a smirk.  And I did something very un-Nico-like, I stuck my tongue out at him and smiled back.

Three long, terrible years to get to this?  It was worth it.

"Do you think I should pull one of the standing umbrella's over," I asked Ajax quietly after a while, "I don't want them to get burned."

"Not a bad idea, they can't take the sun like we can."

I got up and quietly brought over one of the large umbrellas I had on deck and opened it up to block the majority of the strong rays from the boys.  Both of them were out cold.   We relaxed for another hour until Finn and Benji woke up full of renewed energy and we all moved up to the pub for some pool, darts and a game on the big screen.

The kitchen brought up some snack foods and I opened four beers.  Benji was his usual entertaining self, Ajax was beaming as he watched him, and Finn was carefree and laughing.   It was a perfect afternoon.  As the day pushed toward evening, Finn and I noticed Ajax and Benji wandering off into the other room quite often.  Finally after returning with flushed faces, Ajax announced that he had to get his boy home.  Finn burst out laughing and I chortled quietly to myself.

"Do you need a ride back?" Ajax asked Finn.

"Nah, I drove us down here.  I'm good."  

"Do you want to stay for supper then?"  I'd had enough dinners by myself in the last 3 years to last a lifetime.  Heh.  Who am I kidding, I just wanted to spend some more time with Finn.

"Sure, that'd be great.  I don't want to get back too late.  I have a full day tomorrow, the show's getting closer and I have to kick it into gear, but it's still early, so yeah...dinner sounds great."

I texted the kitchen to let them know there would be two for dinner and also texted two of my crew to take Ajax and Benji back to shore.  Les texted back asking if filet mignon would be acceptable and with Finn's approval I told him it would be fine.

"Will you have enough paintings to fill the gallery for your opening?" I asked.  "If you want to borrow any from here, I wouldn't  mind at all...as long as you didn't sell them," I added with a small chuckle.

"I think I'll be okay, but if I get in a pinch, I'll take you up on that offer.  Thanks." 

"So how does it feel to be back at the office again?" Finn asked.

"Not bad, makes me feel useful again to be honest.  Ajax has done a great job though, he's really moved the business forward in the last few years, I'm really proud of him, so it's nice to give him a bit of a break now."

We made small talk until dinner, which was served in the dining room at a small table for two.  We laughed at how the room almost echoed with only a few tables set up, ours was in the center of the room standing alone.  Under any other circumstances it would have seemed like a romantic dinner for two...well I guess it was, but I was trying to keep things light and easy so Finn didn't feel pressured or uncomfortable.  I kept the lights on full and removed the candles from the table while Finn was washing his hands.  When he returned we enjoyed a delicious meal and had a few more laughs.