The day of the dreaded confrontation that needed to be addressed had finally arrived. It was Wednesday evening and Aaron and Damon were both incredibly nervous as they prepared to meet with Josh to discuss their newfound situation. Damon had put off meeting Josh for the past couple of days, claiming he was super busy with all of his photography projects for the cafe he loved. But actually, the simple truth was that he was just couldn't think about hanging out with his best friend when he knew he was falling increasingly head over heels for Aaron. It was wrong of him to pretend that everything was fine to Josh's face.
They had decided to have this conversation in a park. Aaron refused to have the conversation at his house because of all his housemates. He didn't want any prying ears. Damon refused to do it at his house because that was his sanctuary and he didn't want any hostility there. So eventually, they decided on the park near both of their homes. It would provide an open space for them all to speak freely and it would also provide a quick getaway if things went south.
Damon had been the one to initiate contact with Josh again. He had asked the blonde to meet up with him at the park at around 8 o'clock in the evening. The two brunettes contemplated on whether they should tell Josh that Aaron would there too, and after much deliberation, they finally settled on telling Josh the truth. They didn't want him to feel ambushed when he arrived. Josh had sent a simple thumbs up emoji, indicating that he would be there.
As the two brunettes sat on a bench, anxiously waiting for Josh to arrive, the tension between them was palpable. Aaron's heart raced and he stole glances at Damon, who appeared equally anxious. Their hands were in their laps, both of them fiddling with their fingers.
"How you feeling?" Aaron asked the boy.
Damon didn't reply. He had definitely heard the taller boy speak but he just didn't know what to say, so he said nothing at all.
"It's going to be okay," Aaron tried to say.
But Damon shook his head quickly, an annoyed expression on his face. "Please don't say that everything's going to be okay. You don't know that. He could end up hating us both."
"Then let him," Aaron shrugged.
Damon refrained from getting even more annoyed at Aaron's carefree nature. "He's my best friend. I don't want to lose him."
Aaron wanted to reply but he decided against it. Damon looked like he was about to have an emotional breakdown. Aaron didn't want to make it worse for him so he zipped his mouth and looked around the park, hoping to people watch as they waited in silence.
Finally, Aaron saw Josh approaching the bench where he and Damon were sat, his pretty face showing a mix of surprise and curiosity. He had no idea why Damon had called this meeting and his presence immediately made the atmosphere more charged. Damon hadn't noticed him yet so Aaron took it as an opportunity to properly look at the boy's appearance, probably for the last ever time. After today, he'd probably want nothing more to do with either of them. Aaron was surprisingly okay with that.
Josh's arrival marked the beginning of an inevitable confrontation that had weighed heavily on everyone's mind. He approached the bench with his signature blonde hair tousled by the wind, his emerald green eyes reflecting a mix of emotions as he took in the sight of Damon and Aaron sitting there, anxiously awaiting his arrival. "Hey, guys," Josh said with a forced smile as he greeted them both.
Damon's head snapped up at his best friends voice. He stared at him, drinking in his appearance. Josh's outfit reflected his characteristic style, a mix of casual and cool. Despite the tension of the situation, he maintained his sense of fashion. He wore a well-fitted black jacket that added an edge to his appearance. Underneath, he had on a simple white t-shirt, which contrasted with the dark jacket. His jeans were a classic dark wash, accentuating his dancers build. He completed the look with a pair of black leather trainers, adding a touch of urban flair. Despite the emotional turmoil he was experiencing, Josh's outfit conveyed a sense of confidence and a hint of rebellion, which were characteristics of his personality. His green eyes, usually filled with a sense of mischief and adventure, were now clouded with nervousness, creating a striking contrast to his appearance.
"Hey," Aaron replied monotonously.
Damon nodded in acknowledgment but said nothing. The silence that hung between the three of them was deafening and it was clear that they couldn't delay the inevitable conversation any longer.
"Sooo," Josh drawled out. The three of them exchanged glances and Josh, the only clueless one out of the three, let out a forced laugh. "Okay, i'm not going to lie, this is awkward as hell."
Aaron tried to match his forced laugher, trying to keep the conversation airy and light. "Yeah, you're telling me."
"So, what's up? Why did you tell me to meet you here, Damo?" Josh asked his best friend casually, still standing up in front of the pair of brunettes who were still sat on the bench.
Damon looked down at his lap. He couldn't do this. He could barely breathe. After a very long and uncomfortable pause, Aaron decided to take a deep breath and speak up on Damon's behalf, knowing how hard this was for him. "Uh, Josh, there's something we need to tell you."
Josh raised an eyebrow, sensing the gravity of the situation. "Okay... what's going on?"
"Do you wanna sit down?" Aaron asked.
"No, i'm fine standing," Josh said frowning. His eyes slid over to Damon and his frown deepened. His best friend hadn't even said a single word to him yet. Why the hell not? It was so unusual for Damon to be quiet in Josh's presence and the fact that Aaron was here too was putting Josh on edge. "Dude," Josh said, using his foot to gently kick Damon's shoe. "What's up with you?"
Damon flinched but kept his head down. Aaron's eyes were focused on Damon and he felt his heart clench at the sight of the boys eyes misting over with tears. From where Josh stood, he couldn't see Damon's face. But Aaron could. The boys head was down but Aaron could see his side profile and it made him want to cry too. Damon, always the more sensitive one, was trying not to lose it.
Aaron looked away and then stood up. Josh and Aaron were face to face now and the blonde took a hesitant step backwards. Aaron sighed softly and swallowed thickly, wondering how he should start. He had rehearsed this in his head so many times but now Josh was actually here, in front of him, he couldn't think properly and he knew he was about to mess this up.
"Look, I just wanna say that i'm thankful you sent somebody to check on me after you left so that I wouldn't be alone. It meant a lot," Aaron said in a gentle voice.
Relief washed through Josh in an instant. "Oh," he breathed out, a smile appearing at his lips. "You're welcome. Of course. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, ya know? And who better to check up on you than this angel?" He said, motioning to Damon with a hearty laugh.
Damon shrank further into himself, if that were even possible.
"Yeah," Aaron smiled weakly. "He's been... great. I mean, really great."
"He told me how close you guys have gotten," Josh replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm glad to know neither of you were fully alone."
"Yeah," Aaron whispered, his eyes shimmering with guilt. "The thing is... We hang out a lot."
"I know," Josh said with a nod, his eyes flickering to Damon momentarily and then back to Aaron. An uneasy feeling settled into the pit of his stomach when he noticed that his best friend still hadn't looked up or acknowledged him. "I don't mind. If you guys are here to explain that you're suddenly best friends, i'm fine with that. I'm not jealous or anything."
"We're not best friends," Aaron said slowly. He looked down at where Damon was sat and finally, after what felt like an eternity, the blue-green eyed boy looked up. Josh frowned deeply when he saw his shimmering crystal eyes but his frown deepened when all he did was stare at Aaron. The taller brunette cleared his throat and looked back at Josh. The blonde looked back at him. Aaron decided that it was now or never. There was no turning back. Taking a shaky breath, he finally uttered the words he had been desperately trying to say. "We're not best friends... we're more."
Josh was silent for a few moments. His eyes flickered between both the brunettes. Then, he let out a forced laugh. "What do you mean?"
"What I mean is that Damon and I have been seeing each other," Aaron said in a quiet but firm tone of voice.
The dreaded words hung in the air, heavy with significance. For a moment, Josh's face remained frozen in disbelief but then his expression shifted. First to confusion and then to a deep hurt. The news hit him like a ton of bricks and he struggled to find the right words to respond. His steely green hues flickered back and forth between Aaron and Damon. Between his ex boyfriend, and his current best friend. Between the two boys that he loved so deeply.
As Josh's internal thoughts continued, a sudden whirlwind of emotions swirled within him. He couldn't help but feel a sense of betrayal mixed with a profound sense of sadness and utter despair. He had cherished his relationship with Aaron and treasured his friendship with Damon, and now it felt like the ground had been pulled from beneath his feet. He thought about all the times he had spent with both Aaron and Damon separately, never suspecting that they were developing a romantic connection behind his back. The sense of trust that had been so strong between the three of them now seemed shattered and it was tearing him apart.
As he observed the tears in Damon's eyes and the pained expression on Aaron's face, Josh struggled to find the right words to express his feelings. He knew he had to respond but he also needed time to process the shock and disappointment he felt. In that moment, Josh's thoughts became a turbulent mix of love, anger, sadness and confusion. He wondered how he had missed the signs. Why had Aaron and Damon not been honest with him earlier? They had over a week to come clean. Actually, they had way more than that. How long? When did it start? Why did it start? How did it start? The weight of the situation pressed down on him, leaving him to grapple with the harsh reality that the dynamics of their relationship had irrevocably changed.
"You're... what?" he asked in a small voice.
"We're together," Aaron concluded.
"Like, in a relationship?" Josh finally managed to say, his voice laced with a mixture of anger and sadness. Aaron and Damon shared a look. Neither of them had put a label on what they were but both of them knew that they were heading for an actual relationship so Aaron turned back to Josh and simply nodded his head wordlessly. Josh had a pained expression on his face and Damon had to look away again. "You're in a relationship? With him?"
Aaron nodded again, his eyes filled with pain and empathy for Josh, but also with determination to stand by Damon. "Yeah. It... Kinda just happened. We didn't plan it or anything. This wasn't done out of spite. It just... I mean, we care about each other. A lot. We just wanted to be honest with you."
Josh clenched his fists, trying to control the surge of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. He had thought that he and Aaron might have a chance at rekindling their past but this revelation shattered that hope for good. The pain in his chest was unbearable and he felt himself feeling slightly faint. He scoffed wordlessly, shaking his head. He turned around slightly, raising his fist to his mouth. He didn't know what to do with himself. What was he supposed to say? He wanted to cry. But he also wanted to scream. He wanted to hit Aaron. He wanted to yell in Damon's face.
"I can't believe this," Josh said, his voice trembling with anger as he turned his head away from them both so they wouldn't see his red face. "What is happening right now?"
"I'm so sorry," Aaron said gently.
"You're lying," Josh suddenly said, turning around to stare at both of them. Instead of looking at Aaron, Josh was now looking directly at Damon. The small, timid brunette was warily watching his best friend and when their eyes finally met, he couldn't look away. Their eyes bore into each others and Josh had a pleading expression on his face as he took a step closer to the person he called a friend. "Tell me he's lying, Damon."
Damon's bottom lip trembled and he grasped it between his teeth. His shimmering eyes let past a single tear which he hastily wiped away.
"Please, please," Josh begged, his voice cracking. "Tell me he's lying. Tell me this is just some sick joke to get back at me for leaving."
Aaron felt a heavy weight of guilt and regret but he knew he had to be truthful. "Josh," he said in a gentle tone. The green eyed boy never took his eyes off his best friend. He was staring at the smaller boy so intently and so painfully, that Aaron thought Josh didn't hear him at all. Nevertheless, he continued to speak. "We never wanted to hurt you. I didn't expect any of this to happen. My feelings for you have changed and I can't deny what Damon and I have together. I'm sorry. Please believe me when I tell you that i'm so fucking sorry."
Immediately, Josh shoved Aaron's chest.
"Don't fucking say you're sorry!" He exclaimed. His anger came by so suddenly, it caught the two brunettes by surprise. Damon was now on full alert. The anger in his voice was immense and it seemed to cut through the already tense atmosphere like a knife. Damon's heart raced as he watched his best friend's distress, feeling a mixture of guilt and helplessness. Josh's eyes were filled with a raw intensity, his clenched fists trembling. He continued, his voice quivering with emotion, "You don't get to apologise to me like it's some kind of easy fix! This isn't a mistake you can just say sorry for and move on. You've torn my world apart!" His voice broke and he choked back a sob.
Aaron reached out, wanting to comfort Josh, but he knew his touch would likely be rejected at this moment so he let his hands drop by his side again. He hung his head in shame, struggling to find words to respond to the pain he had caused his best friend. Damon remained silent, his heart heavy with the realisation of what this revelation had done to Josh. He had been aware that their actions would hurt him but seeing it unfold was a different level of agony.
Josh's anger had momentarily shifted to Aaron, but now his eyes fell on Damon, who still hadn't spoken. "And you!" Josh pointed a trembling finger at Damon. The smaller boy flinched. "You were my best friend. My best fucking friend, Damon! How could you do this to me? Who the fuck are you?"
Damon's voice quivered as he finally spoke, "I never wanted to hurt you, Josh. I... I..."
"I told you everything about him!" Josh yelled out, his eyes red. "I told you I loved him with everything I had in me and you went behind my back like this? What the fuck did I ever do to you to make you wanna hurt me this way? I would never have done this to you. Never!"
"I know, i'm sorry," Damon cried softly, finally standing up shakily. "I'm so sorry."
Josh's anger seemed to intensify as he heard the apology from Damon. "Sorry doesn't change what's happened!" he shouted, tears welling up in his eyes. "What the fuck? What the fuck is wrong with you?"
The park that had once been a refuge for the three friends had turned into a battleground of emotions. The gravity of the situation and the depth of their feelings became even more apparent as their relationship unravelled before them. Damon took a step closer to his best friend. "Please, just hear me out."
"What, so you can lie to me some more? So you can look me in the eye and tell me that everything's going to be alright and all I have to do is take it one day a time?" Josh snarled, taking a step closer to the small, trembling boy, practically towering over him. Aaron took a step in their direction, ready to intervene at any moment. It was okay for Josh to push him. But it would never be okay for Josh to lay a finger on Damon. "I sat in front of you and told you that I was still in love with him and couldn't stop thinking about him. You fucking sat there with me and lied straight to my face. You were with him the whole time!"
"It wasn't like that," Damon tried to say. "I meant what I said. I wanted you guys to make up and try and fix what you had broken but..."
"But you're selfish and wanna keep him all to yourself?" Josh finished off.
Damon looked torn. "No, that's... No. I..."
"Josh," Aaron said softly. "That's enough."
"Enough?" Josh spat, his eyes ablaze.
Aaron heaved a sigh. "We need to have an honest conversation about this. It's complicated and we're not trying to hurt you intentionally. Just let us explain."
Josh turned his furious gaze toward Aaron. "Complicated? You think I want to hear that it's 'complicated'? You two have shattered my trust, my feelings and our friendship. I thought we meant something to each other. I thought I meant something to both of you," he said in a rambling voice. He looked back at Damon. "I told you how I felt and you knew how important he was to me. You could've talked to me about your feelings for Aaron at any point, but instead, you chose to hide it. To lie to me."
Damon's lower lip quivered as he stood there, defenseless and exposed to Josh's anger. The conflict had brought their friendship to a breaking point and he could hardly bear it.
Josh wiped a tear from his cheek, his emotions in turmoil, hating the fact that neither of the boys said anything in response to his rant. "And what am I supposed to do with all of this now? How am I supposed to process that my best fucking friend in the whole world and the only person i'll ever love are now together?"
"Please, I don't want to lose you," Damon's voice was choked with remorse as he spoke. "You mean everything to me."
"Clearly," Josh said bitterly. The pain in his eyes was unmistakable. He took a step back from both of them and clenched his fists, clearly wrestling with his emotions. "But you don't get to have everything you want."
"Just tell me what to do to fix this," Damon rushed out, taking a step closer to Josh and grabbing his hands. Josh tried to fight off Damon's grip but the smaller boy was surprisingly strong. "Please, i'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you like this, it just happened. I didn't plan to fall for him. You have to believe me."
"I don't care," Josh spat, trying to tug his hands out of Damon's.
"I'll do anything," Damon begged.
"Oh, yeah? Will you break up with him?" Josh sneered, this time successfully yanking his hands out of the smaller boys grip. Tears continued to stream down Josh's face as he looked at both Aaron and Damon, his heart heavy with anguish. He was torn between the love he had for Aaron and the deep sense of betrayal he felt from both of them. He scoffed loudly and shook his head. "That's what you can do. If you wanna fix things between us, then take the easy way out."
Damon let out a shaky breath.
Josh shook his head in disbelief and hurt. "I can't even look at you right now. You lied to me, Damon. You lied to me for days, pretending everything was okay when you were... when you were with him the whole time. If you really wanna fix things with me, then choose."
"What?" Damon asked shakily.
"Choose. Me or him," Josh said in a low voice.
Aaron took a step forward, his eyes filled with remorse. "Josh, please," he said with a sigh. "Don't do this right now."
"Why not?" Josh asked, a deadly glare on his face. "He said he'd do anything. So let's see if he's a man of his words. Let's see who he chooses. The person that's been there with him through thick and thin since the first day of University or the person who he's barely known for 6 months."
Josh's demand hung in the air like a heavy weight and the tension between the three of them reached an unbearable level. Damon felt like he was on the verge of breaking down, torn between his best friend and his growing feelings for Aaron. He looked at Josh, his eyes filled with anguish. Then he looked over at Aaron, who stood silently beside him. Their eyes met and both of them looked absolutely broken.
"Damon," Josh pressed, his voice cracking, "I need you to choose. Now."
Damon remained silent for a moment, the weight of the decision suffocating him. He cared deeply for Josh, but he couldn't deny the connection he had developed with Aaron. Tears welled up in his eyes as he struggled to find the right words. "I can't," Damon finally whispered, his voice trembling. "I can't choose between you. I love you both in different ways and it's tearing me apart. Please, Josh. I just... I just need you to understand how I feel. I didn't do this on purpose. I swear. I love you."
Josh clenched his jaw tightly, his disappointment and anger evident in his eyes. "I can't believe you're doing this to me, Damon," he said, his voice quivering and shaky. He looked absolutely disgusted and distraught. "I thought I... I thought our friendship meant more to you."
Tears streamed down Damon's face as he looked at Josh. "It does. You mean everything to me. But Aaron is-"
"So you're choosing him," Josh said in a blank voice, his face suddenly voice of any emotion.
"Josh, you can't expect me to-"
Before Damon could finish his sentence, Josh hastily turned around and walked away without another word, leaving Damon and Aaron standing there in the park. The heart-wrenching choice had been made for him and the consequences of their actions left a trail of pain and heartbreak in their wake. Damon watched his best friends body got smaller and smaller. The tension in the park seemed to hang in the air even after Josh had walked away. Damon stood there, tears streaming down his face. Aaron's heart ached as he witnessed the heartbreaking turn of events that had just taken place. Neither of them had wanted to hurt Josh but their choices had led to this painful moment. Aaron was delusional for thinking this would go any differently.
Damon finally collapsed back onto the bench, sobbing uncontrollably, not caring about his volume. He felt so overwhelmed by the guilt and heartache he was currently feeling. Aaron knelt down beside him, wrapping his arms around the trembling boy, offering what little comfort he could. He held Damon close, not knowing how to ease the pain they had caused. As they clung to each other in the dimly lit park, they were left to grapple with the reality of the shattered friendship and the uncertain future of their own budding relationship. The choices they had made would have lasting consequences and they were now faced with the aftermath of a decision they couldn't take back.
Amidst the uncontrollable tears and the loud sobs omitting from Damon's lips, Aaron could physically hear his heart crack into two. Damon's face wobbled. His cheeks and nose were red. He looked absolutely heartbroken. Aaron hated it. "I'm sorry," he said in a whisper.
Damon, still clutching his own trembling form, struggled to find words between gasps. He hated crying or showing too much emotion in front of other people but he couldn't help it right now. In this moment, he was completely broken and it was his own fault. "I never meant to hurt him," he cried. "I never meant for any of this to happen."
Aaron tightened his embrace, a mix of remorse and empathy etched across his face. "I know. I know it's tearing you apart. I... I don't..."
"I hate myself," Damon choked out.
Aaron sighed deeply, his eyebrows furrowed, a heavy weight on his shoulders. "No, Damon. Please, don't say that. You didn't do this on purpose. We both know that. You never wanted to come and see me in the first place. I know you didn't choose this."
"No, but I still did it!" Damon snapped.
Aaron pursed his lips, surprised at Damon's tone. "I don't care. As selfish as it sounds, i'm glad you did. Because if you hadn't been forced to come and see me that day, we never would have been in each others lives like this. I think... I think it was meant to happen."
Damon's watery eyes flickered across Aaron's face. "Do you think he'll ever forgive us?"
Aaron hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I don't know," he said, even though he knew the answer to Damon's question was a definite no. "Forgiveness might take time, if it ever comes. All we can do now is wait."
They sat there in silence for a moment, the reality of their actions settling in around them. Damon felt cold, despite the sunshine. He felt hallow. Empty. He finally broke the quiet, his voice shaky but determined. "I need to talk to him. I need to try to explain, even if he doesn't want to hear it."
Aaron shook his head. "I don't think he wants to be around you right now."
"I don't care," Damon said shaking. "I can't lose him, Aaron. I can't."
"Let's just give it some time, okay?"
Damon wanted to yell. He wanted to say no. But he found himself nodding. As the smaller brunette boy wiped away his own tears, a mix of determination and uncertainty lingered in the air. The park, once a symbol of friendship, now held the echoes of a painful rupture. With Aaron by his side, Damon mustered the strength to face the consequences of their choices and confront the fallout of a friendship forever changed.