When Aiden woke the following day, he wasn't surprised to see Nathan lying in the same position he'd fallen asleep.
All night, the only movement was tilting his head to rest his cheek against Aiden's forehead. Throughout the evening and night, the older boy didn't move at all. His left arm lay still by his side, Aiden's hand sitting on his elbow as he pressed up against Nathan's side.
It had taken all night, but the white-haired boy looked somewhat peaceful. He no longer looked sickly, and his cheeks had the tiniest hint of pink.
Looking the boy up and down, Aiden smiled. Waking up next to him felt good and not in an afternoon nap kind of way.
Even though the only reason Nathan was lying in his bed was that he was suffering, seeing him lying there with an innocent look on his face was powerful.
Aiden reached up to the mussy white hair and flicked a few strands away from the boy's eyes, careful not to disturb his sleep. Touching the wayward strands made Aiden want to run his fingers through the silky locks, but he thought against it. Manhandling Nathan while he was practically unconscious was a weird thing to do.
Scanning the room, Aiden quietly blanched. It was exactly how he left it -an absolute mess.
He would have to deal with it before Nathan woke. The clothes on the floor and study papers piling up would repulse him.
But it could wait another fifteen minutes. The pink-haired boy wanted to lie beside the warm body forever, drinking in the heat and soft breathing for as long as possible.
So that was what Aiden did.
He laid his head back on Nathan's shoulder and wrapped his arm around his waist, marvelling at how he'd ended up this way.
Moving away from their home city was a massive decision on his parent's part. They uprooted their entire lives to protect Aiden from the hate and the torture that plagued his life every day.
Going to a new school was frightening.
But Aiden had been blessed. When he arrived, Evan was thrilled to see his older cousin and embraced him with open arms. He introduced him to his friends without hesitation, and somehow, Aiden became part of their fold. He never expected them to become a crucial part of his life.
His lack of friends back home seemed like a distant memory now that he had a group of six boys to keep him company every day.
Despite not attending the school anymore, Jago's presence was felt by Aiden every day. He was part of every conversation, whether through text or catching up at the end of the day.
Despite being older than Aiden, Jago never acted his age. He was a fool, only getting himself together at work or when the boys needed something.
Aiden couldn't help but feel close to his older friend; despite his craziness, he had a fiercely protective streak.
As did Matt, who became a guide and counsellor for the younger boy, showed him around the school and helped him get used to the friendship dynamics. He was incredibly kind and understanding.
Reid was how Aiden remembered from his childhood visits. Whenever he visited Evan and his family, Reid was always around. The three boys played video games together, watched movies and shared a room during every holiday. Reid was a hugger, and every time Aiden walked into the room, he was dragged into the biggest bear hug, which had not changed.
However, he preferred his arms around Evan more than anyone else these days.
Jasper was a unique character. When the two met, Aiden knew they would be good friends. The boy's vibrant smile and happy-go-lucky attitude were so energising that Aiden couldn't wait to see him every morning. He had only kind words for everyone, and his infectious laugh made Aiden smile until his face hurt. Or his stomach. Most often, it was both.
And then, of course, there was Nathan.
Aiden couldn't forget the moment he saw his glittering eyes; igniting a growing flame in his heart. Just gazing at the older boy caused butterflies in his chest and made his head spin.
Their relationship was developing daily, becoming more affectionate and more committed. Nathan had flaws and weaknesses, but he didn't hide or pretend they didn't exist. Every day, he fought with his demons, and every day, Aiden became more besotted.
Aiden sat up and manoeuvred away from the sleeping boy. He wanted to stay there, but needed to shower, eat, and tidy.
Quietly, he walked over to the two rucksacks he'd abandoned by the door and rifled through, searching for his phone.
Throughout the night, he'd received several messages on the group chat. Concerned, all the boys asked about Nathan's well-being.
Aiden felt a little guilty when he realised how long they'd all been waiting for a response, so he quickly thumbed a message, letting the boys know he was sleeping and would update them when he woke.
Jago responded almost immediately, letting the younger boy know he was free all day and would happily come over and help out.
The pink-haired boy grinned at his phone, accepting the suggestion and inviting the elder over. It was doubtful Nathan would be awake much in the next few hours, so the company would be good.
Setting the phone down, Aiden searched through the other bag, fishing out the mobile phone and the notepad. He beamed again, admiring the myriad of stickers adorning the front cover.
The previously black cover was now filled with cartoon images and phrases. The two cat representations of Aiden and Nathan stood out, isolated from the other stickers.
Holding the book to his chest, Aiden carried it over to his bedside cabinet, pushing the lamp backwards to make room for the items he carried.
He nestled the phone and the book together next to a bottle of water and painkillers, placing them close enough so that if Nathan was to wake, he could reach any item without having to stretch or sit up.
Aiden couldn't help but brush the smooth skin of Nathan's cheek, pulling back as the boy reacted, humming lightly as he turned his head towards the touch.
Although happy to spend time with the older boy in whatever manner he was most comfortable, Aiden always wondered what it would be like to hear his voice.
Every sound, laugh and cry, were like salacious hints of something he would never witness.
The younger boy smiled before walking away; darting around the room, he threw his dirty clothes into a basket and collected the piles of papers, throwing them into a drawer so the mess was hidden.
He then grabbed some clothes and headed to the bathroom to shower.
His usual long, hot shower was much shorter than average; he wanted to be ready for Jago's arrival.
Climbing out of the shower, Aiden pulled on his dark jeans and floral patterned t-shirt, admiring the vibrant pink tones against the deep navy material.
As he headed out of the bathroom, the pink-haired boy stopped dead in his tracks, his chest thumping as he caught a passing glimpse of his face in the mirror. Most of the time, he could walk past the mirror without getting caught up. But sometimes, just sometimes, the reflective surface brought everything back and frightened him.
He hesitantly stepped back and stared at his reflection, eyes drawn to the blemish following the shape of his cheekbone.
Aiden sighed as he traced the line with his finger, hating the way the split in his skin affected him. Every time he saw the mark, it reminded him of that day.
Pushed forcefully into the dark store cupboard by unseen hands. Voices snickering in his ear and continuously in his mind as he tried to stay composed.
His head ached as he remembered connecting with the metal cabinets with an audible thud, leaving him dazed and disorientated, stumbling back into the arms of his tormentors.
The claustrophobia. Oxygen ripping from his lungs in a solid punch. The feel of the-
"-You are awake!"
A voice broke through Aiden's thoughts, slamming him back to reality and out of his negative thoughts. He took a few gasping breaths and blinked back the vast well of tears, trying to re-bottle the stress coursing through his veins.
Peering out of the bathroom, Aiden watched as his mother sat on the edge of his bed, lovingly gazing at the previously sleeping boy.
The dark-haired woman held Nathan's hand like a newborn baby as she spoke to him.
With little energy, he merely listened as the woman affectionately showered him, a rare occurrence for Nathan; his eyes never meeting Aiden's mother's gaze.
With the older boy was in safe hands under his mother's care, Aiden brushed his saturated pink mop and applied a thin layer of powder to his face, concealing the daily reminder of his weakness.
Confident Nathan and Jago would not see the mark, Aiden walked into his room, his attention caught by the smell of warm soup.
Nathan's eyes instantly caught Aiden's.
He was depleted and cloudy. But even in his weakened condition, he didn't miss the younger boy's wide-eyed look and edgy movements. He even saw how Aiden jumped as his mother stood quickly, throwing her arms around the boy and kissing the top of his head.
She didn't notice the wobble in his voice as he said a friend was coming to visit and thanked her for the food.
If his mother did notice, she didn't say a word. She just pressed another kiss to her son's head as he touched her arm with a shaky hand, and then she breezed out, leaving the boy standing in his room staring at two bowls of soup.
Aiden didn't know how long he stood there, lost in traumatic thought, but he snapped out of it when a pillow flew in his direction.
He looked up at Nathan in surprise. The older boy had used a tonne of energy to get his friend's attention, his head lulling at the sudden expenditure, making Aiden feel bad.
Picking up the errant object, Aiden placed it back and sat beside the white-haired boy, watching him take deep breaths as he lay propped up on the bed.
When Nathan opened his eyes, he stared directly at the younger boy, quietly investigating to find what was troubling him.
Aiden sighed, running his fingers through his damp hair, knowing Nathan wouldn't let this go. He needed to distract him long enough for Jago to arrive to stop him from asking too many personal questions.
"Here, you should eat so that you can take some more medicine." He said, reaching over for the two bowls of soup and shoving one into the other boy's hands, not missing the glare of disapproval.
Aiden rapidly stuffed in a mouthful, so he wouldn't be able to talk, and stared down at the food, trying to avoid Nathan's gaze. His hands were sweaty with tension, making the bowl slip and slide. He wasn't even that hungry anymore; the adrenaline buzzing through his system saw to that.
Opposite one another, the two boys ate, taking as much as they could stomach before setting the bowls down. The older boy ate little, but it was enough to warm him inside.
Nathan then let Aiden make a fuss, trying to keep his mind busy and away from the darkness trying to envelop him. He didn't know what had upset the pink-haired boy and why he was so stressed; he had no idea if this was the start, the end or the middle of a panic attack, so he let Aiden do whatever he needed to get through it.
Nathan watched the younger boy open the water bottle beside his bed, passing it over as he took two white tablets from a medicine bottle and handed them to the older boy, avoiding his eyes. He didn't want him to see more of his tension; Nathan had enough to deal with.
Aiden even retrieved his hairbrush from the bathroom, not asking as he stood beside the bed and began running it through Nathan's hair, tenderly smoothing down the wildness into its usual style.
Aiden's fingers raking through Nathan's hair was blissful. He closed his eyes again, unwinding into the touch. The pink-haired boy seemed to notice and fulfilled his desire from earlier that morning, running his fingers through the bright white strands, catching the tiniest patch of dark roots coming through.
He'd never seen Nathan's natural hair colour; he'd only ever had this bleached shade. Aiden loved the vibrant white, but was curious to see what was underneath.
They could have stayed that way forever, but the constant repetitive motions were so comforting it made Nathan feel sleepy again; he yawned loudly, covering his mouth, which earned a small chuckle from Aiden.
"You should rest some more," Aiden said, pulling his hands from the boy's hair. His heart skipped a beat when Nathan circled his wrist, brushing his thumb over his palm to flatten the fingers out.
This time, when Nathan held his wrist, it wasn't frightening. It meant something special.
He slowly trailed his finger against the skin, spelling out a word.
Okay?
Aiden sighed and nodded, trying to ignore the nerves bubbling in his stomach.
Liar.
The pink-haired boy didn't know how to respond to that. The older boy was the only one who ever called him out.
Despite the barriers Aiden had built through the years of torture and heartbreak, Nathan could see through everyone. He could see every subtle facial expression and change in his body language. He could feel how the environment changed around Aiden's entire being when he became apprehensive or stressed.
It took a damaged person to recognise another.
"Jago is coming over, so we'll go out into the garden. Do you want to come?" He asked, looking down at the white-haired boy as he massaged his aching shoulder. "You can stay in bed if you want. Whatever makes you feel better."
Out.
Nathan wanted to stay in bed all day, but only if Aiden was with him; being beside him was intoxicating.
So slowly and carefully, he climbed out of bed, waiting for the usual onslaught of fatigue and crippling cramps that followed a bad episode. But nothing happened.
Every time Nathan suffered severe pain, the following days were usually agonising. Every fibre in his body would grate and seize up, so walking was nearly impossible. Typically, extreme exhaustion and a migraine would coincide, leading to days of sleep until it subsided.
But now, standing beside a bemused Aiden, he felt nothing more than a slight headache, some tiredness, and an ache in his shoulder. It was astounding.
He felt better than usual despite the lingering lethargy.
"Here, put this on in case it's cold," Aiden picked out an oversized black cardigan from his wardrobe. He helped Nathan slip on the button-up and do it up.
The white-haired boy smiled, the soft material gentle against his skin.
"You look cute," A slight blush grew on Aiden's cheeks. In return, Nathan wretched at the comment. He had called himself cute before, but it wasn't a word he enjoyed describing himself with.
The pair chuckled together, heading downstairs and out to the garden. The sun shone down on the wooden benches outside, leaving an inviting, warm spot perfect for three boys to sit and have a conversation.
It was warm enough for Aiden, but he noticed Nathan shiver the second they stepped outside, moving closer to him for some heat.
"Sit down; I'll get a blanket and your notebook," Aiden said, watching the older boy position himself on the edge of the bench, nursing his fragile arm to prevent him from banging it on the metal railing.
When Aiden returned from his bedroom with the blanket, notebook, and his mobile phone, it was no surprise to see Nathan struggling to keep his eyes open.
The bright sun gave his skin a shiny glow as he momentarily dozed, his hands tucked in the sleeves of the cardigan he borrowed from the younger boy. Smiling to himself, Aiden placed the notebook by Nathan's feet and swished the blanket free, covering the slender body to keep the chill away.
When he sat down in the middle of the bench, as close to Nathan as possible, the older boy shifted, his head dropping against Aiden's shoulder as he drifted off to sleep within seconds.