The Abandoned Wallflowers || BoyxBoy ✔️

22

Damon, as usual, barely ate anything which was a concern for Aaron. He couldn't help but feel a pang of worry but he decided to focus on enjoying their morning together. He made a mental note to talk to Damon about it later.

Leo tried to engage in the conversation as much as he could but with the pair still acting awkward around each other, it was odd. Sophie's eyes glanced between Leo and Aaron a few times, noticing that their usual banter and playfulness wasn't there anymore. It was annoying for her. For all the housemates, actually. They just wanted Leo and Aaron to go back to normal.

Damon remained quiet, lost in his thoughts as he toyed with his food, still bothered by the message from Josh. Aaron, on the other hand, made an effort to include Leo in the conversation, even though it was strained. He hoped that things would return to normal soon. "You guys busy today? Shall we all do something?" Aaron asked in a hopeful tone.

"Sophie and I are going shopping for girly stuff. Feel free to tag along," Jessica gleamed.

Aaron grimaced. "Er, i'll pass thanks. I don't fancy standing around whilst you guys squeal over clothes and make up."

"Suit yourself," Sophie laughed.

Aaron's eyes slid over to Leo. He was staring down at his phone. The taller brunette cleared his throat. "What about you, man?"

Leo snapped his head up. Everyone eyed him and he looked genuinely surprised at Aaron's subtle request to hang out. He had been feeling out of place and awkward lately, because of his big drunken mouth, so the idea of spending time together as a group offered a welcoming distraction. Leo cleared his throat and managed a somewhat awkward smile. "Uh, yeah, I'm up for it," Leo replied, his voice slightly unsteady.

"Cool, i'll ask Rex and Victoria too. See if they wanna tag along," Aaron shrugged.

"Yeah, man. That sounds good."

Damon, who had been lost in thought, looked up and gave Leo a small, appreciative smile. He was glad that he was open to patching things up with Aaron for the sake of everyone's friendship. Sophie and Jessica exchanged a knowing glance, relieved that Leo seemed willing to join in. They were aware of the tension and wanted to help their friends get back to normal. Aaron, too, was glad to see Leo's willingness, hoping that this outing would help alleviate some of the awkwardness between them all.

After breakfast, they all dispersed briefly to get ready for the day. Damon retreated to Aaron's bedroom to prepare for his meet-up with Josh, and Aaron decided to take a moment to talk to Leo privately before they left for their day out. He quickly followed and approached Leo by the bottom of the stairs, grasping the boys wrist in his own to stop him from walking away. Leo whizzed around in confusion and when his eyes settled on Aaron, he looked hesitant for a moment but plastered a smile on his face nevertheless.

"Hey, can we have a quick chat before we head out? I just want to make sure things are okay between us," Aaron said to him.

Leo nodded and followed Aaron to the living room, away from the others. He appreciated the opportunity to address the situation and clear the air. The pair sat on opposite ends of the sofa and awkwardly stared at each other.

Aaron decided to start. "Thanks for letting Damon come into your room last night whilst Josh was here. I appreciate it."

"It's cool. He is my friend."