the recovery project [2]

6 5

aidan

"how're your classes going?" he asks, though he doesn't actually care. he'd rather be in a room with his asshole-for-a-teacher, professor shaw.

everett watches him, arm propped up against his chin on the couch, seeing right through him. "is that what you really want to know?"

"no."

"ask me whatever you want." everett's hazel eyes are dilated, and the pale blue crewcut he wears is making him dangerously irresistible. fuck. "i won't hide anything."

"why did you kiss me back? if you knew that it was wrong, why... why would you do that to me?"

everett clears his throat. "i didn't know what i felt. the connection i had with you was so strong, but my feelings for fiona were holding me back. i cared for her too. so i kissed you... i don't know. it was the moment."

aidan chews on the inside of his mouth and swallows. "the moment? why are you using that as an excuse? are you just trying to—"

"i can't let go of what we have, aidan."

"maybe not, but you can't let go of what you and fiona have, either."

"we broke up, it's in the past," everett comments, but aidan sees the lie behind the statement, because they both know the guilt of what happened. "i was confused, i..."

"you cheated. i don't know if i can move past that."

"i will regret it for the rest of my life," everett replies, eyes glassy. "i'm so sorry for doing that to you and fiona. i never should have made either of you feel like a second choice, and i will regret it for the rest of my life. i promise that i'll do anything i can to make it up to you guys. i swear—"

"tell me you love me," aidan's voice has dropped to a whisper, and he shouldn't be doing this, he should be leaving and not slipping under this spell. "god, just... just tell me you love me."

"i love you," everett whispers, and they're suddenly centimeters apart, their noses brushing against each other. "i really do. i love you, i love you, i love you."