It took a while for that to happen. It had also taken extreme circumstances. It was just a vacation – why Niko let Robin Goodfellow talk him into a cruise on the Caribbean sea was beyond him. He'd paid everything, from the state room up to every single event out on the decks and every single party in the clubs.

Mostly, he'd paid for Cal's ravenous and scandalous appetite.

It was true that after a while, even Niko had started to relax. Out in the open sea, the Auphe had less chances, did they? He'd allowed himself to let loose, a little. He'd even allowed himself to look at Robin for real, for the first time.

That puck looked better than he thought. There was even a slightly feminine grace to his face, when he allowed himself to drop the mask, when he thought Nik wasn't looking.

It was the last night on the ship. Cal was out, dancing with another redhead whose name didn't matter. Niko had preferred to go breath in the salty night air for one last time.

Robin wandered by, hands in his pockets. He smelled of freshness and mild aftershave, even if he didn't have much to shave. For all Nik knew, maybe the puck didn't shave at all.

"Out by your lonesome, are you?" Robin's question was relaxed, deceitfully so.

"You know how I like my quiet, Goodfellow."

The puck didn't make an immediate reply to this and simply leaned against the railing, lazily. Eventually, though... "Are you telling me to leave, Niko?"

He shook his head. He'd been thinking, Niko. Things had been less than perfect with Promise before they'd gone. And Robin had been there, all this time, helpful, trustworthy. He remembered how the puck had stood by the day Darkling had jumped out the window. He'd never questionned his presence once.

"No," Niko replied, barely audibly.

Robin leaned in, as if to hear him better. "You want to whisper it in my ear, Nik?"

Niko shook his head, and said it again. "No." He wasn't sure what he was saying yes or no to, at this point.

Robin must have felt it. His hand reached, to tilt his chin up, to catch his gaze. Unbelievably green eyes, he had, the Puck. His question was confusing as hell, his smile was unbearably suggestive. "Is that a yes, Niko?"

Niko nodded, he didn't even think of what he was saying yes to. Robin's lips brushed his, very softly, barely a touch, as if he expected him to protest immediately.

He didn't. Instead, his lips parted, slightly, allowing the kiss. Niko wasn't into guys, no.

But just this night, he was into Robin Goodfellow.