Tenderness: showing hurt or sensitive when touched or pressed. Showing care, gentleness, and feeling farewell

"Nikko it's eight o'clock in the morning you need to eat, give me that damn bottle," she stood in front of him one hand propped on her hip; the other held out in front of her, palm exposed, demanding the bottle of Vodka Nikko contentedly sipped from. "Nikko, just give me the fucking bottle."

"Uh-oh we can't have Miss Straight-and-Narrow cursing now, can we?" Nikko kicked his head back taking prolonged drinks from the bottle, exposing the strong cords of his neck. His blond hair was messy and stood up on edge while those beautiful verdant orbs had taken on a glass-eyed appearance reminding Bea that she had to get that bottle from him. "Amie, I feel like my heart was hit with one of those big 18 wheelers."

'Well you look like you were ran over by an 18 wheeler' she mentally said to herself not daring to say the word out loud in an attempt to avoid hurting his feelings. Because as much as she hated to say Nikko was very supercilious. If it was one thing Nikko took pride in it was his appearance.

"I'm sure he's just as miserable as you." Bea tried to comfort the distressed Nikko. She didn't know whether to hug him or beat him with her shoe. He'd been like this for the last two weeks--prattling on about George. Nikko was one mean bitch when he suffered.

"He better be. Shit, nobody told me this love thing was this difficult." He swallowed a mouthful from the bottle and his eyes glossed over slightly reminding her of the China dolls that her grandmother had collected when she was a child. "Didn't I tell you that leading that man on would end badly?"

"Well if it isn't the hoe call the homo nasty." If she hadn't known Nikko for what felt like forever she would have felt offended by his analogy. Nikko sneered and rolled his eyes at her before he took another swig from the bottle clutched between his index finger and thumb. "Oh, now you want to say I told you so."

"Nikko it's not the end of the world--just eat something please." She implored with her eyes big and guileless voice. Nikko didn't know what it was about Bea that made her so damn lovable; he couldn't bring himself to be mad at her or mean. God help anyone who tried. I bet her character would blow them away.

Nikko was livid and depressed but he couldn't bring himself to say anything rude or hurtful to her. She was and would always be the first person he'd call when he and George got into fights. His alliée when things went from great to shitty, kind of like he felt now.

He no longer filtered the words between his mouth and brain; he blamed it on the one and a half bottles of vodka. He didn't want to listen to her act as his conscience right now; all he wanted was to forget. He started to fall into that oh so familiar alcohol induced hazed he'd become close friends with over the last week or so.

"You have to talk to him eventually." That woke him up with a start. To hell I will.

Nikko knew she was right but he didn't want her to be. He knew for sure if he was going to face George, Nikko was determined to look his best. He collected himself and rose-- stumbling past her into his bathroom. He tugged off his clothes and stepped under the warm spray of water. His tense muscles relaxed beneath the spray of water.

~~~

Bea stood in front of Nikko's stove. One hand on the skillet while the other poured eggs into the pan next to it. Her curly rust colored tresses pulled back into a low hanging ponytail. She was glowing, but her eyes as always displayed the mixed emotions she was feeling. She liked George and knew that Nikko was head over heels in love with him. Now all she had to do was find a way to get them back together again.

"Nikko, your sausages are almost ready!" she called from the kitchen.

"I wonder what your boyfriend would say, if I told him that I'm the one that taught you how to suck a dick properly." Bea almost dropped his plate. She could feel the heat rush up her face and thanked God for her copper complexion. She knew he said that on purpose just to hear her stutter.

"W-wwell w-ww-e - I-I havvnt..."

"Speak a little clearer darling, I don't speak bashful." He loved to tease her.

"I haven't you know." She tried to push the words past her throat but failed miserably.

"Haven't what?" He asked his flustered friend. "Sucked his dick?"

He was answered by silence. He looked over at her and she was staring at the ceramic tiles beneath her feet. Her favorite raging homo was back embarrassing her one day at a time.

Nikko wandered into the living room with his hands full of hair products. He refused to let himself go out when his head looked like something straight out of the Addams Family. He sat down on the couch one leg tucked under his rump the other hanging down until it touched the floor. He grabbed the remote to the stereo and turned turned it up until his ears felt like they were going to pop.

I'm bringing sexy back.
Them other boys don't know how to act.
I think you're special, what's behind your back?
So turn around and I'll pick up the slack.
Take 'em to the bridge
Dirty babe
You see the shackles
Baby I'm your slave
I'll let you whip me if I misbehave
It's just that no one makes me feel this way
Take 'em to the chorus

He stood and began moving to the familiar beats his hips swaying his hair being damned to hell as he found his groove again. He knew he looked absolutely positively mad; barefoot, hair in complete disarray, dancing in front of blaring speakers "Amie, come dance with me!"

It took him a while to realize she was laughing at him. "If you don't get your ass over here I'm going to drag you."

She couldn't stop laughing at him. Her shoulders shook from her hunched position. He watched her press the back of her hand against her lips, hiding her smile. He always hated when she did that when they were kids because she had such a beautiful smile. He grabbed her wrist and dragged her over. She shook her head at him but despite her initial objections, she found her hips swaying to the techno beat.

I'm bringing sexy back
Them other fuckers don't know how to act
Come let me make up for the things you lack
'Cause you're burning up I gotta get it fast
Take 'em to the bridge

Bea swung her hips in attempt to get into some type of rhythm and failed miserably. Whoever said that all black women had rhythm lied their asses off. Nikko couldn't stop the smirk from dancing across his lips, "Amie, you need to relax."

She followed his instructions and found herself twirled across the room. He felt all the anger and sadness he had packed up inside drain away and he lost himself in her laughter.

I'm bringing sexy back
You mother fuckers watch how I attack
If that's your girl you better watch your back
Cause she'll burn it up for me and that's a fact
Take 'em to the chorus