FALLING | MxM (completed)

Chapter 19

Edited✔️

"Edwin, can I come in?" Aiden asked, standing by the door frame.

"Sure, do you ever sleep at night?" Edwin chuckled.

"Not really." He chuckled, sitting on the couch.

"So? Why are you here instead of in front of the fountain in the yard?"

"It's too cold. I can't stand cold weather." Aiden shivered just at the thought of being out there.

Edwin laughed and stood up to come to sit next to him. "You're leaving in two days. How do you feel? Are you ready?"

Aiden turned his head to the right to look at the blue-haired doctor. "I can't wait to be out. I miss my studio too much."

"But you don't look like someone who's so happy. There's a sadness behind your eyes." Edwin watched him closely.

"I'm... scared."

"Why?"

"Of running into him? You know we have mutual favorite places and so many mutual friends. Our lives are just linked in so many ways. I... after the breakup and before coming here it was easy cos I'd just get high or wasted, but now... I don't think I can handle this sober."

"Please don't tell me you're planning to go back to all that when you're out! You didn't go through so much pain just to go back to drugs, Aiden. I'm warning you."

Aiden laughed shortly. "I'm not planning on it, Edwin. Relax."

They were silent for a while until Aiden spoke again. "How much longer is Lili staying here? I mean, will you ever let her out or..."

"She can go whenever she wants. We're not forcing anyone to stay here unless their situation is severe."

"Wow, you are too much into your role as a doctor. Couldn't you just explain that in a more friendly way other than 'we're not forcing anyone to stay'?" He laughed in Edwin's face, making the other frown.

"For the past 3 years, this place is all I've known. This is basically my second home. I guess I've forgotten how to talk in a friendly way." He smiled bitterly before clearing his throat. "Why did you ask, though? Suddenly interested in my sister?" Edwin tried to joke, even though for some reason it hurt.

"It's not sudden! I've grown very fond of Lili. She's a very unique human."

"Oh.." Edwin paused. Wow, now it hurt even more. Why... "Yes. Yes, she is."

"You know, I read her book twice and I can read it again. I don't know why she hates it so much." Aiden said.

Edwin took a couple of seconds to collect his mind (and heart) before huffing out an exhale. "It's rather normal for her. She does something, she hates doing it right after. Says things need to be perfect and she can't ever achieve that perfection."

"Huh... Well, I know how that feels. And it's not easy convincing yourself your work is good enough to let it be out there in the world."

"You let the world listen to your music all the time, though. Maybe she could learn nothing can ever be too perfect one day."

"I was scared beyond your imagination the first few times. But when they chart all the time, you can't help but become confident in your skills." Aiden looked at Edwin and noticed his mood had changed from a few minutes ago. "Are you okay? Did I make you upset? Do you want me to leave?" He said while standing halfway, ready to leave by the doctor's demand.

Edwin just pushed him back down on the couch and rest his head on its back. "Stay."

Several minutes passed with just the two of them being there, Edwin's eyes closed while Aiden just stared at nothing.

"You know I'm gonna miss our little talks in the middle of the night." Edwin said out of the blue.

"I'll call you instead. It's not like I'm gonna die!" Aiden teased him.

Edwin just hummed.

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"Vincent, have you seen my headphones? The blue ones?" A currently wandering Aiden asked a pouty boy following his movement with his eyes eagerly.

"No." The answer was too short to have come from Vincent, the normally talkative person.

Aiden stopped and made his way to the other's bed. Sitting down on the edge and hugging the boy, he caressed his hair gently.

"Come on, Vin, we talked about this. I'm gonna visit. They'll even let me up here so you wouldn't have to come down there. I'm even gonna bring you your favorite snacks. I promise I won't leave you."

"Kurt said he'd visit too. But if it wasn't for Lili, he wouldn't come. You're just like him. You'll come for Lili, not me."

"Kurt is in love with Lili, so of course, she is his first priority."

"You're in love with her, too."

Aiden was surprised by his answer. He loosened his arms and made him look up, looking straight into his eyes. "What do you mean I'm in love with her? I'm not!"

"Yes, you are! Have you seen the way you look at her? There are literally hearts pouring out of your eyes."

Aiden looked at him in confusion. Did he really look like that when looking at Lili? He adored her, sure, but that was just pure adoration and nothing more. And even that kiss they shared meant nothing. He didn't feel a thing, as if kissing his own hand. He didn't want it to look like he was in love with her to others. His head started hurting, so he just hugged Vincent tightly again and breathed, trying to shoot the thought far away to the back of his mind, the question that why he suddenly cared so much about what others might think about the matter.

"I love you all, Vin. You, Edwin, and Lili. Even Lucas is someone I wanna come to visit. So it's not just you or her. I wanna come see you all."

Vincent hugged him back for the first time, and he felt like he had achieved a big goal in his life. He had used Vincent as a pillow to hug when sleeping or just cuddled with him a lot, but Vin had never hugged back until now. It felt so good that the younger had finally opened up to him like that.

'Oh please, Aiden! it's just a hug. Why are you making such a big deal out of it! He probably thinks it's the last time he's seeing you, so he's emotional.' A voice said in his head. His mind just wouldn't shut up today.

Vincent's voice ripped him out of his thought. "Under the bed."

"Hm?"

"Your blue headphones. They're under the bed."

"Ah, really? How could I not see them? I already looked there!" He said, let go of Vincent, and went to his bed to grab the headphones. Then he hurried out of the room.

"Edwin!" Aiden called after him upon seeing the boy in the hallway. The other raised his head slowly, his eyes red from the lack of sleep. The sudden urge to knock him out so he would rest a bit was strong!

"Your headphones are ruined, right?"

Edwin nodded with a straight face.

"Well then, here." He grabbed Edwin's hand and put the headphone case in his.

Edwin looked at the case in his hand and then at him and raised his eyebrow in question. He really didn't seem to want to speak a word today.

"Max, my brother, buys me headphones all the time. I have no idea why, but he's in love with the object. So I'm giving you a pair. Since you don't have time to go and buy one. It's blue, so it matches your hair perfectly!"

Edwin just looked at him for a second before saying a very quiet 'thanks' and a very forced smile. Aiden wanted to ask what was wrong, but someone called Edwin and he left immediately.

He looked at his watch. He had to leave in 2 hours. He hurried back to his room to continue packing.