(BL) Friendship On Fire

Hunter shoved his hands deeper into his thin and damp jacket as the rain poured mercilessly on him. His stomach grumbled painfully, but it wasn't like he could do anything about it. Food was a luxury when he barely had a roof over his head, let alone money in his pocket. He pressed forward, the cold biting his skin, but his mind wasn't entirely on his misery. 

He was busy thinking why Aiden is acting so strange lately? It wasn't like Hunter to overthink things, but he couldn't help it this time. Aiden had been doing all these weird things. 

Is he growing up? Becoming more mature and adult? But it was Aiden he's talking about. And almost everyone who knows Aiden can tell that Aiden and Mature don't come in one sentence. 

Hunter snorted to himself. "Maturing? Yeah, right. He probably doesn't even know broccoli is a vegetable." 

And what about that time Aiden texted him before 3 a.m. like a responsible person? That wasn't the Aiden he knew. Aiden was chaos personified—the guy who once put an empty pizza box in the microwave to 'reheat the vibes'. There was no way he was suddenly growing up. 

Hunter shook his head, trying to banish the amusingly stupid image of Aiden holding broccoli like it was a weapon of mass destruction. He pushed open the convenience store door, the bell jingling faintly as he stepped inside. The warm air greeted him like a hug he didn't deserve. Without wasting time, he headed straight to the rack of sandwiches. 

He picked the cheapest one, grimacing as he saw the price. "$1.99. That's a whole day's wage," he muttered sarcastically, pulling out a crumpled dollar bill and some coins from his pocket. 

The cashier was a tired-looking man who clearly had no interest in small talk, and rang him up without a word. Hunter nodded awkwardly, took the sandwich, and stepped outside, tearing the plastic off and devouring it in a few bites. His stomach grumbled in dissatisfaction—it wasn't much, but it was something. 

With a sigh, he looked around for a place to sleep. The rain hadn't let up, and the streets were a mess of puddles and mud. Last night he'd curled up under a bridge, but that had been taken over by a group of teens blasting music and drinking. Not ideal for someone who needed a shred of peace. 

Hunter's eyes landed on a small covered area under a storefront awning. He walked over, hopeful for a dry spot, but stopped when he saw a mother dog curled up with her puppies. The tiny pups were huddled together, their little bodies twitching as they hugged their mommy. 

"Great. Even dogs have a better setup than me," he mumbled to him, rubbing his arms against the chill. He sighed and turned away, not wanting to disturb them. "At least someone's warm tonight." 

He wandered aimlessly until he found a set of stairs leading up to a closed shop. They were soaked and grimy, but it was better than standing in the rain. Hunter sat down, pulled his knees to his chest, and leaned his head back against the cold wall. 

"Good night to me," he whispered to himself, though he knew better. The rain was too loud, the concrete too hard and his mind too full of thoughts about Aiden. 

His eyes drooped for a moment before a rough voice startled him. 

"Who are you?! What are you doing here?" 

Hunter looked up to see an older man with a broom glaring at him. 

"Sorry, I just—" 

"Move away! This isn't a shelter. Get out or I'll call the cops on you." 

Hunter scrambled to his feet, muttering a quiet apology. The man grumbled something under his breath and went back inside, leaving Hunter standing in the rain again. 

He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself helplessly. If only his parents were alive. He wouldn't have to live like this—scrounging for food, dodging angry shop owners, or hoping his aunt didn't kick him out again when he refused to give them his money. 

He began to walk aimlessly again, his shoes squelching in the puddles. Maybe tonight he'd sleep. Maybe not. At least Aiden would probably do something dumb tomorrow to distract him from it all. 

Hunter's teeth chattered as he sat on the cold steps of another shop, trying to focus on anything but the rain seeping into his very bones. He barely noticed the sound of hurried footsteps splashing through puddles until a voice he knew too well broke through the downpour. 

"HUNTER? What the hell are you doing here like this?" 

He froze and looked up, his vision blurred by rain and exhaustion. Aiden stood there with a shocked expression, drenched but holding an umbrella over his head. 

Hunter didn't have the energy to respond right away. His lips trembled too hard to form words and his body shivered uncontrollably. Aiden didn't wait for an explanation. He hurried to him, the umbrella tilting awkwardly in his haste. 

"God, you're freezing!" Aiden yelled at him, already shrugging off his oversized jacket. He threw it over Hunter's shoulders without hesitation. "The hell you're doing here, idiot?!" 

Hunter blinked, stunned by the sudden warmth. It wasn't just the jacket—it was the act itself. Aiden was soaked now, standing in the rain without a care for himself. Hunter swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat as he looked at Aiden's furrowed brows and worried eyes. How could anyone not fall for him? 

"What are you even doing here?" Aiden's voice cracked slightly seeing Hunter like this. 

Hunter finally managed to stammer, though his voice was barely audible. "Just…got kicked out by my aunt." 

"That bitch!" Aiden exploded, his sudden fury so out of place that Hunter actually laughed, though it came out weak and shaky. 

"She has no heart! How can she treat you like this? Does she even have a conscience? No, of course not! She's probably sitting on her throne of greed, counting her filthy money. I swear, if I ever see her—" 

Hunter chuckled again, his body still trembling but his spirit lifting slightly. "Calm down. You'll burst a vein." 

"No, I won't calm down!" Aiden snapped, his body shaking with rage. "You should've told me sooner! Is this why you've been asking for a sleepover? Why didn't you just say something?!" 

Hunter looked down, guilt prickling at him. "I didn't want to bother you." 

Aiden's eyes widened in disbelief. "Bother me?! Hunter! Do you even hear yourself? You think me letting my best friend—no, my favorite person in the whole world—sleep on some stairs in the rain is fine because you didn't want to bother me?" 

Hunter felt a blush creeping up his cheeks at Aiden's words. "It's not like that…" 

"Yes, it is!" Aiden interrupted, grabbing Hunter's freezing hand and pulling him to his feet. "You're an idiot, you know that? A stubborn, freezing idiot. Come on, we're going to my place." 

Hunter tried to protest, but Aiden was already dragging him down the street, muttering curses to his Aunt under his breath. "Unbelievable. Who even lets someone like you sleep outside? I'm going to get you warm, feed you, and then I'm giving you a lecture you'll never forget." 

Despite the situation, Hunter couldn't help the faint smile tugging at his lips. Aiden's grumbling was oddly comforting him. 

When they reached Aiden's house, he threw open the door and all but shoved Hunter inside. 

"Straight to my room. Take a hot shower. I'll get you dinner," Aiden ordered, his tone brooking no argument. 

"Aiden, I'm fine—" 

"No, you're not fine!" Aiden shot back with his hands on his hips as he glared at Hunter. "You look like a drowned cat and I'm not letting you freeze to death under my roof. Shower. Now." 

Hunter hesitated for a while, shame creeping in again. "I don't want to be a burden…" 

Aiden groaned dramatically, throwing his hands in the air. "Oh my god, Hunter, stop being so annoying. You're not a burden. You're my friend. My best friend. And if you don't listen to me, I swear I'll drag you into that shower myself. Strip you till you're butt naked and shove you–"" 

"Okay, Okay," Hunter sighed, his lips twitching in a reluctant smile. "Fine. I'm going." 

"Good boy," Aiden smiled and watched Hunter going upstairs. 

Aiden entered the kitchen, balancing the grocery bag in one hand and a slightly exasperated expression on his face. His mother looked up from up from doing dishes and raised an eyebrow. 

"Took you long enough. Did you walk to another city to buy this stuff?" she teased, wiping her hands on a towel as he set the bag down. 

"Ran into Hunter," Aiden said nonchalantly, though his tone betrayed a hint of concern. 

Her curiosity piqued, his mother tilted her head. "Hunter? What's he doing out in this weather?" 

Aiden sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "It's a long story, Mom. Let's just say his aunt's being a jerk again." 

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "That poor boy. And you? You're always in the middle of some trouble, aren't you?" 

"Well, what do you expect me to do? Leave him out there?" Aiden retorted, crossing his arms. 

"You'd probably drag a stray dog home too if you found one shivering," she teased, smirking. 

"Yeah, because I actually have human decency," Aiden shot back, sticking his tongue out before remembering why he'd come to the kitchen. "Anyway, is there any dinner left? And cold meds? He looked like he was about to keel over." 

"Top cabinet for the meds, leftover stew's in the fridge," she replied casually, shaking her head with a small smile. "You're such a good Samaritan. Just don't get too attached—" 

"Mom!" Aiden groaned, grabbing the items and storming off before she could tease him further. 

When he got upstairs, the bathroom door creaked open, and out walked Hunter, dripping wet and dressed in nothing but a towel. Aiden froze mid-step, his mouth slightly agape as his eyes involuntarily roamed over Hunter's toned torso and broad shoulders. 

"Uh…" Aiden's ears turned pink as he quickly averted his gaze. "Wear something before coming out." 

Hunter looked down at himself, then shrugged. "Didn't have clothes." 

Aiden sighed, slapping a hand over his burning face as he set the food on the bed. "Stay right there. I'll grab something for you to wear." 

He practically dove into his closet, rummaging for an old hoodie and sweatpants, all while trying to push the image of Hunter's abs out of his mind. 

He's your best friend. Stop being weird, he scolded himself. 

"Here," he said, thrusting the clothes at Hunter without looking directly at him. "Get dressed." 

Once Hunter was clothed and seated on the bed, Aiden handed him the steaming bowl of stew and watched with a face full of satisfaction as he watched Hunter practically inhale the food. 

"Slow down, you'll choke," Aiden giggled. 

When Hunter finished, Aiden shoved the cold meds into his hands. "Take these." 

Hunter frowned. "I don't need—" 

"Take. Them," Aiden said sternly, his arms crossed. "Or I'm shoving them down your throat." 

Hunter chuckled weakly but obeyed. Afterward, Aiden stretched and looked at the bed, then at the small sofa in the corner. 

"You take the bed. I'll sleep on the couch," he let out moving toward the sofa. 

Hunter's face fell. "Aren't we going to sleep together like we always do?" 

Aiden froze mid-step, his back stiffening. His mind flashed to the awkwardness he'd been feeling around Hunter all day. He'd been avoiding him at school, brushing off the strange fluttering in his chest every time Hunter smiled at him. And now this? 

He turned slowly to see Hunter looking at him with those big, hopeful eyes. Aiden groaned inwardly. Why does he have to look like that? So cute–no stop! Stop it! 

"Ugh, what are we, five?" Aiden muttered, scratching the back of his head. "Fine, but don't hog the blanket." 

Hunter's face lit up and he climbed into bed, grinning ear to ear. "Goodnight, Aiden." 

Aiden grumbled something incoherent but slid into bed beside him, lying stiffly on his side. Hunter couldn't help but smile as he stared at the back of Aiden's head, his heart swelling with a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time. 

As the minutes ticked by, Hunter noticed Aiden's breathing even out. Aiden turned sides in sleep and face came inches apart from Hunter. Aiden's features were softened in sleep, his lashes were long and his lips were parted slightly. 

Hunter's eyes traced the curve of Aiden's jaw, the slope of his nose, the way his hair fell messily over his forehead. His heart raced, heat pooling in his stomach as he tried to look away but couldn't. 

"No," he whispered to himself, squeezing his eyes shut. "Stop it. Don't even think about doing something stupid! He'll hate you forever." 

But the pull was too strong. He may never get a chance like this ever. He may not be this close to Aiden ever again. He opened and his gaze fell to Aiden's lips, and before he could stop himself, he leaned in, pressing a feather-light kiss to them. 

Panic immediately set in his chest. Hunter jerked back, his face burning with shame as he buried himself under the blanket. "I'm sorry," he whispered, tears pricking his eyes. "I'm so sorry." 

He squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to sleep. 

When he woke up, the sunlight streaming through the window felt too bright. He stretched out a hand to the side of the bed but it was empty. 

Aiden wasn't there. 

It sat up faster than the light. His chest filled with dread as he yanked his hair in fear and frustration remembering last night. 

Fuck! Did he know? Did he leave because of what I did last night? 

He clutched the blanket as the memory of last night's kiss haunted him. 

"What have I done?"