FALLING | MxM (completed)

Chapter 76

"Why?! It was a rather new topic no one really dared going into and a student had just dived right into it. Of course, I found it interesting."

Edwin smiled for the first time in god knows how long and it wasn't even a crooked one. He was genuinely happy hearing that from the man.

'YOU ARE STILL HOLDING HIS HAND, Edwin!'

His head screamed at him and he looked down at their linked palms with wide eyes. Him being how he was, pulled his hand away in a rushed act instead of acting nonchalant and made himself so embarrassed in front of the doctor who had just talked so highly of him. He bit on his bruised bottom lip and looked down to his feet, head hung low. He heard chuckles from both men and felt a hand on his shoulder, guiding him to the sofa. They all sat down. Edward next to him and Chad across from them.

"So... I've read all the information you sent me, but could you tell me in person as well? I wanna know more." Edward said as he opened the two buttons of his suit and sat back comfortably, patting Edwin's shoulder once to make him collect himself and pay attention.

"As I said earlier, the host's name is Aiden Evans. Hector, the only other personality we've seen who claims there's only the two of them, is the person we're currently dealing with. Or should I say, trying to deal with. There's just no way of getting through to him." Chad explained.

"You said he has mood swings? Did Aiden have them as well?" Edward looked at Edwin, who didn't really look like he was listening. "Edwin?"

Edwin heard his name, and the question registered in his head.

"Uh, he did have mood swings, but it was for when he had an addiction. As soon as he was clean, he rarely had those. He is actually a sweetheart. Nothing like this devil that is possessing his body right now."

"You know, for someone who explained everything so logically in their thesis, you are an extremely emotional person. I'm surprised!" The now-familiar chuckle followed, and the doctor looked back at Chad. "The thing with dissociative identity disorder is that the patients often show signs of other mental conditions as well. We have mood swings, which I think could be more of a borderline personality than a mood swing in Hector's case. And you said he was addicted? What was Aiden addicted to and why did he start?"

"Drugs. Alcohol. He... and his ex had an accident which led to his ex being in a coma for a while and they broke up after, so the trauma led him to the addiction. He even over-dosed several times."

"Over-doses? Were they over-dosing or suicide attempts?"

With this question, Edwin grew pale. Back then, he had been too preoccupied with Lili that he never really thought about the possibility of Aiden having had suicide attempts. Suddenly he felt like his short career as a doctor had been a major failure as he looked at Chad for help. The older cleared his throat and looked at him, concerned, before he started talking.

"I think a couple of them might have been failed suicide attempts. Aiden never confirmed it, but the few times I brought it up, he didn't deny it either. Knowing that he wouldn't lie even if his life depended on it, I think he somehow confirmed by not opposing me."

"What?!" Edwin heard himself asking. "Why didn't I know about this?"

"You had too much on your shoulders back then." Chad looked apologetic almost.

"Oh! I almost forgot. The thing that made me the most interested in this case," Edward shifted enthusiastically, seeming to be looking forward to this case a lot. "you said Aiden heard a voice talking to him. Do you know what they said exactly? "

"He didn't say... But I could tell they weren't friendly. The two-three times I witnessed it, he would just curl up and beg them to stop until I'd find a way to distract him. He said they'd been more active when he was a child and then they had suddenly disappeared until recently."