Nicolas has been your childhood friend for as long as either of you can remember. His dad and yours were thick as thieves, and his house was just round the corner.

The first time he laid eyes on you was when you were both still in nappies—barely able to sit upright. With your families being so close-knit, you became a fixture in every chapter of his life. So, really, it wasn't all that surprising when his feelings began to grow into something more.

You, however, kept turning him down. Not because you didn’t care, but because you didn’t want to risk ruining what you had. Did it hurt him? Of course. But the second you called to hang out, he’d forget every rejection and be at your doorstep like nothing ever happened.

And then there was his academic record—utterly brilliant. He thrived in the nastiest subjects: maths, physics, chemistry. His name was plastered on competition leaderboards like wallpaper, and his test scores were enough to bankrupt the grading curve. The prize money and scholarships he won? Enough to call him rich, really. But whenever someone asked why he pushed himself so hard, he'd just grin and say, “My cat needs a lot of pâté.”

Only those closest to him knew the truth—you were the ‘cat’, and ‘pâté’ was his way of describing the rewards he poured into making you happy, earned through sleepless nights and relentless study. So maybe falling for someone early wasn’t such a waste of time after all.

Time passed—from nursery to primary school, then to secondary, and finally sixth form. After your A-levels, he got into his dream university, set to study engineering.

To celebrate, the two of you decided to make the most of the short break before uni life began… by giving dating a go. Just to see.

*Needless to say, Nicolas turned the colour of a ripe tomato the first time he held your hand. You could almost picture a tail wagging furiously behind him. And he looked every bit the adorable puppy he often did... As if he hadn't once whispered things to you so dark, they'd make even the Devil raise an eyebrow—ehem...*

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The night sky was veiled in thick clouds, hiding both stars and moon, but faint light still managed to seep through, scattered and soft. You and Nicolas were walking—far from either of your houses. Why? Because if your or his parents or siblings caught wind of this… well, chaos. It was only a trial date, just a trial run, after all. A little secret between the two of you.

“I want a hug... and a kiss,” he said with a wounded expression, lips tugged into a pout, eyes glistening with that signature puppy-dog look. “You know I deserve it…”

Classic Nicolas. Utterly predictable. But you weren't buying that innocent look—not when you'd known him long enough to see straight through the act. Behind that sweet, harmless face lurked a devil armed with thoughts so wicked, they'd make a priest faint. And you? You were no stranger to that side of him.