Frode sneered."You won't let me?"
Hjalmar sometimes forgot Frode was an adult, and while Hjalmar might be physically capable of making Frode do whatever he wanted, he never would.He couldn't wrestle him to the ground in a public place, and apart from a careful clap on the shoulder, Hjalmar never touched him.
It used to annoy Frode.He could do touch, but Hjalmar was careful.
Nikolai hadn't said a word; all he did was study Frode, so he glared at him.He got raised palms in return.
"Frode, please."Hjalmar gave him puppy eyes.Fucker.Frode sighed and slumped back into his chair.
* * * *
Chapter 6
Frode was fucking beautiful.As always.Nikolai tried not to stare but failed.He'd aged, of course, but it took nothing away from his attraction.
"So what are you in the mood for?"Hjalmar was looking at the blackboard with the menu.
"Spicy halloumi burger with fries."Frode's voice was nothing but a grumble.
Hjalmar nodded."Nikolai?"
"I'll have the pasta."He'd had it once before.Pasta with mozzarella and prosciutto.Divine.
"Drinks?"Hjalmar looked around the table.
"Beer."Frode was still grumpy, and Hjalmar gave him a questioning look.
"Beer?"
"Yes, a fucking beer."
Hjalmar held up his hands."A beer it is."Then he got up and walked toward the bar only to hesitate."Nikolai, drink?"
"Water, please."
A nod, then he was talking to the woman behind the bar.
"So..."Nikolai looked at Frode and got a glare in return."You're a psychic now?"
"No, not at the moment."
Eh...Nikolai frowned, and Frode huffed.
"How does it work?"
"It's like this."Frode leaned closer, so Nikolai did too."We'll pretend not to hate each other for the next twenty to twenty-five minutes, given they serve the food fast enough, to make Hjalmar happy, then we'll go another fifteen or so years before we look at each other again.Best would be if you moved back to wherever you came from.I was here first after all, so I feel you should make an effort to stay out of my way.It's only fair."
Nikolai stared.Frode had been a quiet kid.Uncertain and careful.He'd always kept to himself and done his best not to get noticed.Hard when you had a brother like Hjalmar, who was loud, exuberant, and friends with everyone.But there had been moments when Frode had stared at Nikolai, when his dark eyes had been glowing, and sometimes he managed to get a shy smile out of him.Those smiles had made Nikolai's heart trip over itself.
"Or we put all this hostility behind us and move forward."Nikolai gave him a flirty smile.
"Not gonna happen."
"Oh, come on, Frode.You can't still be angry about--"
"Frode!"
It took Nikolai a moment to realize Saylor from the forensic team was walking toward their table.
