Aiden [Book Two]

10

Letting the backpack slump from his shoulder and hit the ground, Aiden silently entered the bedroom, barely acknowledging the brown-haired boy sitting at the desk.

Nathan left school during lunch that day to attend another physiotherapy appointment, so he was already home by the time his boyfriend made it back. He'd heard about the incident in the bathroom, but didn't know the true extent of what had happened.

All the brunette knew was that Aiden's scar had somehow become exposed during his trip to the bathroom, and it prevented him from leaving the room.

Jasper said he'd found the younger boy locked in the tiny bathroom stall, crying, trying to hide his face. He was on the verge of yet another panic attack and only calmed down when Jasper dug through his backpack, finding the little container of concealer, and then allowed the older boy to apply it.

He thought Aiden was too rattled and anxious to do it himself, and had no idea the boy was just trying to hide his newly acquired injury.

The incident wracked Nathan with guilt.

He didn't like leaving without saying goodbye to Aiden, but he took so long in the bathroom that there wasn't time. The elder was already pushing his luck because of the appointment, and couldn't wait around for his boyfriend any longer.

That was why Jasper went looking; so Nathan didn't have to worry.

"Hey-"

The orange-haired boy wasn't one for cutting his love off usually. He was typically patient and gave Nathan the time he needed to form sentences, encouraging every word with a gentle smile, but not today.

He had no strength or energy to wait around; the throbbing was getting worse and Aiden needed to find relief fast.

"-Gonna take a shower."

Aiden walked to the wardrobe without glancing at the older boy, left hand shoved into the pocket of his cargos as he pulled out more comfortable clothes. If he turned around and looked at those pretty watercolour eyes, he would lose it.

Instead, he walked straight to the bathroom, bolting the door shut behind him.

The younger boy sobbed the second the shower fired up, the water spray covering up the sound.

He couldn't tear his eyes away from the mirror and the bruising on his chest from being slammed against the wall and the floor. But worse still was the thick black swelling enveloping the injured fingers.

After a few hours, the fingers had doubled in size, the heat was overwhelming, and the ache was constant.

It wasn't fair.

Nathan frowned in confusion as he watched the door open again because they had never locked the bathroom. For as long as they lived together, Aiden never locked the door because, as much as he felt safe there, he was also afraid of being trapped in small spaces.

He only ever put himself in those situations through desperation.

When the boy exited after a long shower, he didn't appear refreshed, bouncy or affectionate and clingy, like he usually was. He didn't throw himself at the older boy and litter his face with tender kisses.

He looked... Depressed.

Aiden's typical bronze glow dimmed to a pasty, pale shade, and the rosy cheeks were more intense and patchy than usual.

His cinnamon eyes didn't sparkle and twinkle with happiness; they fell harsh and cold like winter.

Nathan tracked his love across the room, hands buried deep in the pockets of the hoodie he picked, as he collapsed on the bed in a heap. He burrowed himself under the duvet and just lay there, lifeless and broken.