Aiden [Book Two]

14

Nathan's long, willowy fingers always provided so much comfort to the smaller boy when he was in need.

The crooked digits with their pronounced knuckles and joints were never malicious or painful. They never struck Aiden in anything more than a playful, teasing way, and always worked to soothe the pain in his heart.

And that was exactly what Nathan was trying to do as he swirled his fingers around his lover's damaged skin, tracing the purplish-blue bruising.

After Jago came to visit and fell asleep beside the smaller boy, Aiden had been trying to bring himself back to normality for Nathan's sake as much as his own.

The younger boy despised the idea of his boyfriend blaming himself for the current situation and wanted to make him feel better. He had to appear and behave normally to prevent Nathan from being racked with guilt.

So the moment the brunette returned from school, Aiden tried to be his usual loving self and force away the exhausting anxiety.

He showered the elder with affection and lovingly fussed over him, stripping away his backpack and thick fleece to help him get comfortable. He unclipped the boy's sling and lowered his arm, rubbing at the fragile shoulder as he asked the usual question.

"How does it feel?"

Nathan seemed dazed and confused at first, like the person in front of him was a stranger, until he saw what was happening.

That pretty pink-haired boy he fell in love with pushed his way out of the fractured shell and he loved it.

Aiden paid no attention to his phone, and held his nerve whenever a ripple of self-doubt seeped in because he wanted to be what Nathan needed, and not a sobbing mess every night.

That was how the couple found themselves trapped in an intimate moment, lost in the warm sensation of each other's skin, for the first time in a long time.

The older boy couldn't wait to jump into bed that night, eager to see just what his lover had in store.

There were no sordid expectations; just the excitement of knowing they could get close again. And not in a way that involved the elder clutching his boyfriend tight as he wailed in hysterics or battled a fit of panic.

At first, Aiden seemed a little timid when he climbed in beside Nathan and sat by his side.

A movie flickered on the TV screen and the voices called out, making both boys chuckle, which seemed to help the younger relax again. Enough to glance at the elder and make a move he hadn't in a while.

The redhead climbed into the older boy's lap, heart skipping a beat when the bright watercolour eyes widened and then softened with a smile. It felt like so long since they'd sat chest to chest, fingers interlocked, just admiring one another.

"I'm sorry, it's been so bad lately," Aiden started, pressing their heads together so he could continue staring into the brownish-green haze that squeezed at his soul. "I'm trying, but my head is just..."

This time, the smaller boy wasn't lying when he talked about what ate him up inside. He wasn't entirely forthcoming, but didn't lie either.

The thoughts, the dreams, the memories were all-consuming.

Every time the room fell silent, memories of being punched in the stomach, slammed to the ground or wrenched by his hair sprang to mind. They flooded his consciousness and tore at his heart.

Sometimes breathing became impossible and a splitting headache took over, so there was nothing else to think about but the past.

Aiden thought he was past it for a while. Before this new bully came into his life, everything improved and he was happy. But now, the soul-destroying trauma resurfaced, and it was killing him.