(BL) Friendship On Fire

Aiden's entire brain stopped working. His face went through at least five different expressions in the span of three seconds.

First, pure confusion. Then, disbelief. Then horror. Then anger. Then disbelief again.

"GIRLFRIEND?!" Aiden practically shrieked, looking like someone had just told him the sun was fake.

Hunter just gave him a bland look. "Why are you yelling? I'm not deaf."

"WHERE THE HELL DID A GIRLFRIEND COME FROM?!" Ignoring him Aiden demanded, flailing his arms. "Didn't—didn't you say you were GAY?!"

Hunter blinked, tilting his head slightly. "Yeah?"

"SO WHY—WHY DO YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND NOW?!"

Hunter sighed, so done with this idiot already. "Why can't I have a girlfriend?"

But Aiden wasn't listening. He was already using a little bit too much for his own good. "Wait—wait, wait—so are you BACK to liking girls now? Or—wait, no—DO YOU ACTUALLY LIKE OLDER WOMEN?! Is that your TYPE??"

Hunter pinched the bridge of his nose to try to hide his smile. "Aiden—"

"HAVE YOU BEEN SECRETLY INTO OLD LADIES THIS WHOLE TIME??"

Hunter choked. "What the hell?!"

Aiden grabbed his shoulders, shaking him. "HUNTER, EXPLAIN! I NEED ANSWERS!!"

Hunter sighed and pried Aiden's hands off him.

"Why are you angry?" Hunter asked, staring at him blankly. "Didn't you want me to get a girlfriend?"

Aiden froze blinking his eyes in dread. His mouth opened—then closed. Then it opened again. His ears burned red.

"T-That's—!" Aiden stumbled over his words, looking both embarrassed and defensive. "S-She doesn't even SUIT YOU!" he blurted.

Hunter raised an eyebrow, entertained by his outburst. "And why's that?"

Aiden grumbled. "She's so much older than you! She—she doesn't match you at all! Don't date her." 

Hunter wanted to laugh at this idiot. He stared at Aiden's grumpy face, his brows furrowed, his lips pouting slightly in frustration.

Hunter felt a sudden pang of guilt—but also amusement. Only Aiden could get this riled up over something so stupid.

"I don't mind her age," Hunter said nonchalantly to poke some more fun. 

Aiden immediately scowled at him. "WELL, YOU SHOULD! Y-You can do better! Don't just settle for some—some rich, drunk OLD LADY!"

Hunter almost smiled. But he held it back, keeping his face completely calm and indifferent. He hadn't even realized it until now, but…He felt calmer now then when he left his house in a horrible mood. 

But somehow, Aiden's dumbass reaction had made it all melt away.

"What are you even doing here at this hour?" Hunter questioned. 

Aiden froze again.

Oh. Crap. He couldn't tell Hunter the real reason. He couldn't tell him that ever since that night in the rain, he had started coming out at night to make sure Hunter was okay.

That he had started looking for him, just in case. That he just wanted to make sure Hunter wasn't starving or sleeping on the streets.

If he told him that, Hunter would be angry. Even now, Aiden knew—no matter how pissed off Hunter was at him lately, if he found out, he'd still worry. So he lied.

"I—uh—I just came out to get something my mom asked for," Aiden said quickly.

Hunter stared at him. He knew he was lying but he didn't push.

"Hmm," was all Hunter said, before turning around. Aiden sighed in relief.

Hunter started walking and Aiden quickly followed after him. And immediately, his brain went back to the "girlfriend" situation again.

"So—wait—are you really thinking about dating that woman?" Aiden asked.

Hunter didn't answer. Which made Aiden even more desperate for answers.

"Hey—HEY! Hunter! Answer me!"

Hunter glanced at him with a small smirk. "Why are you so interested?"

Why…

Why was he?

He wanted Hunter to get a girlfriend. Didn't he? So why did hearing it now make him so irritated? Why was he happier when Hunter didn't have one? Why was he even more pissed off now than he was when he saw Hunter with Casen?

Just what the hell did he want?

Urgh! Why was everything so damn complicated?!

Or…was he really just as dumb as everyone said?

His thoughts were twisting so hard that he didn't even realize Hunter had stopped walking. Until he walked straight into him.

"Oof—!" Aiden stumbled backward. Hunter turned slightly, raising an eyebrow.

"You good?"

Aiden glared at him with a clenched jaw and pouty lips. 

No. He was NOT good.

He was still stuck on the topic of this so-called girlfriend. His mind spun in circles, unable to let it go. He wasn't even sure why he cared so much. Hunter could date whoever he wanted, right? But the thought of some older woman clinging to Hunter made Aiden's stomach twist uncomfortably.

"So, do you really have a girlfriend now?" Aiden asked again suspiciously. 

Hunter groaned loudly, rubbing his temples as if warding off a headache. "Are we seriously still on this?"

"But—!" Aiden needs to make sure or he can't sleep tonight. "But you said you don't mind her age! So did you actually consider it?! Like, seriously?! Like, for real, for real?!—"

Hunter's eye twitched.

"Aiden."

"I mean—she was super rich, right? Maybe she could have given you a sugar mommy allowance or—mmph!"

Without warning, Hunter gripped Aiden's arms and yanked him forward. Aiden barely had time to react before he found himself dangerously close—so close he could feel the heat drifting off Hunter's body. His hands instinctively landed against Hunter's firm chest, and holy hell—was he always this solid? Aiden felt the toned muscle under his fingertips and he stopped breathing.

Hunter's honey-brown eyes glowed darkly under the streetlights and Aiden felt weirdly hypnotized.

Was it always this hard to breathe?!

Hunter's eyes, intense and piercing, seemed to trap him in place, like a predator toying with prey. Aiden's heart pounded so hard he was sure Hunter could hear it.

"What do you even want from me, Aiden?" Hunter whispered in a smooth and slow voice, almost like a tease. His grip on Aiden's arms tightened, not enough to hurt, but just enough to make Aiden feel utterly powerless. "You're angry when I like guys. And you're still angry if I have a girlfriend. What exactly do you want from me?"

Aiden opened his mouth, but no words came out. His throat was dry, and his brain was fried. His knees felt weak. His entire body was burning, but his stupid heart just kept racing faster.

"I-I don't—" Aiden stuttered like an idiot, his voice cracking embarrassingly.

Hunter smirked. It was smuggy and devastatingly hot. Then, as if deciding to completely ruin Aiden's life, he leaned in even closer that their noses nearly touched. 

ABORT.

TOO CLOSE! TOO CLOSE! 

Aiden's breath fastened and his legs felt like jelly.

"She wasn't my girlfriend," Hunter murmured, his lips barely inches away from Aiden's. "She was just some stranger. I don't even know her."

Aiden stayed silent but his brain finally caught up. Relief washed over him so quickly that he stupidly smiled. "Really?!" 

Hunter's smirk lessened and his eyes narrowed in question. Aiden quickly forced his grin away, but the damage was already done. Hunter's expression darkened mischievously and he suddenly leaned in even closer.

Aiden instantly squeezed his eyes shut.

Hunter's lips brushed against Aiden's ear as he whispered in a voice so deep, that it felt like a sin. "I like guys, Aiden," Aiden's entire body seized up. His skin broke into goosebumps, and his face exploded in red-hot heat. The warmth of Hunter's breath against his ear sent a violent shudder through him, and—oh god—his knees almost buckled. And do you know who I like?"

"Nope! Nope! Don't wanna know!" Aiden yanked himself backward with superhuman strength, shoving Hunter away like he was a nuclear bomb. He staggered back, clutching his ears like they'd just been set on fire. His wide, horrified eyes locked onto Hunter, who was standing there with an infuriatingly smug smirk.

"What's wrong?" Hunter asked innocently. 

Aiden pointed at him, his finger shaking along his whole body. His face was burning. "You—you—you're messing with me, aren't you?!"

Hunter simply tucked his hands into the pocket of his hoodie, looking relaxed, calm, and way too attractive for someone who had just nearly killed Aiden with words alone. "Am I?"

Aiden made a strangled noise and spun on his heels. "I'm going home! I don't wanna deal with this! You have gone crazy!"

With that, Aiden SPRINTED AWAY like a world-class athlete.

Hunter watched him run away like a panicked little deer, shaking his head in delight. "Idiot," he muttered under his breath, reaching into his pocket absentmindedly. His fingers brushed against the business card from earlier, and he pulled it out, glancing at it.

He sighed and shoved it back. Then, with a smirk still lingering on his lips, he walked home.

💕💓💙

( NEXT DAY) 

Aiden sat on the bench outside the mall, bouncing his leg anxiously as he waited for Sophia and her friends to arrive. 

His head was a mess, his mind tangled in last night's events. He knew Hunter was just messing with him. So why did his heart race just remembering that stupid whisper against his ear? The way Hunter's breath had sent shivers down his spine.

Aiden groaned and slapped his own face. "Stupid, stupid Aiden. Stop thinking like that!" he scolded himself. A few people nearby turned to look at him, but he ignored them, rubbing his temples in frustration.

He needed to focus. Right. The plan. Get a girlfriend. Feel normal again. Move on.

Aiden exhaled deeply, determined. He could do this. Maybe if he gave Sophia a real chance, things would just…fix themselves.

A car pulled up in front of him, and out came Sam, Sophia's older brother, looking as grumpy as ever. Sophia and her two friends hopped out right after him, giggling about something. When Sophia's eyes landed on Aiden, she blushed instantly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she greeted him shyly.

"H-Hi, Aiden," she smiled nervously.

"Yo," Aiden greeted back, giving a small wave. He really tried to see her as something more, but…nothing. No heart-thumping, no butterflies, no warmth in his chest. Just…indifference.

Sam made a disgusted face, watching his sister. "Ew. Don't do that."

Sophia glared at him. "Shut up, Sam!"

"You shut up," Sam shot back immediately.

"No, you shut up!"

"I'm literally older than you."

"And? You still act like a baby."

Aiden watched the sibling bickering with mild amusement, but then Sam turned his attention to him. "Hey, Aiden. Mind if we talk for a sec?"

Aiden blinked curiously then shrugged. "Sure?"

Sam shooed Sophia and her friends away to get popcorn and drinks, then crossed his arms, staring at Aiden like he was trying to read his mind.

"So, what's up with you and Hunter lately?" Sam asked bluntly and shamelessly. 

Aiden nearly choked on air thinking if Sam is aware of their situation. He has seen Hunter often talking to Sam so maybe Hunter told him. "W-What? Nothing! Nothing's up! Why would you even—"

Sam was already exhausted. "Aiden, you are so bad at lying." 

Sam shook his head. He had a pretty good idea of what was going on. He had seen the way Aiden's expressions kept changing—one second looking guilty, the next looking lost.

Aiden had zero romantic feelings for Sophia. Not even a little. And Sam was sure Aiden knew that. But he still agreed to come for Sophia. And Sam had a bad feeling why.

He didn't say anything about it, though. If Aiden was stupid enough to go down this road, he'd learn the hard way. Sam's expression darkened slightly, and Aiden felt an uneasy weight settle in his stomach.

"Look," Sam began with a serious tone. "I don't care if you're confused or going through some weird Hunter crisis or whatever. But don't use my sister as an experiment, got it?"

Aiden swallowed and looked scared as if he was caught. "I-I wouldn't—"

"I don't care how much I fight with her," Sam interrupted, stepping closer, his usual laid-back demeanor gone. "She's still my little sister. So if you hurt her, I'll break your legs."

He said it with a polite smile, but Aiden had no doubt he was 100% serious.

Aiden stared at him, sweat forming on the back of his neck. "..Noted."

Sam smirked, giving him a light pat on the shoulder. "Good talk."

Aiden exhaled, relieved when Sam finally walked off just as Sophia and her friends returned. She smiled at Aiden, holding out a drink for him. "Here, I got you one too."

Aiden took it, trying to ignore the slight guilt pressing against his chest. "Thanks."

They headed into the theater, but as the lights dimmed and the movie started, Aiden found himself barely paying attention.

He had made a promise to himself that he would give this a real shot.

So why did it feel like he was already setting himself up for failure? 

He munched on his popcorn as the movie played. It was some rom-com with a bunch of dramatic staring and slow-motion moments that felt way too cheesy for his taste. But he had to at least pretend he was enjoying it.

Sophia, who was sitting beside him kept stealing glances in his direction. Her heart thumped as she nervously adjusted her hair, hoping Aiden would notice. She had been dropping hints all night, smiling extra brightly, leaning just a little closer to brush her fingers against his arm but Aiden was...Aiden.

Completely clueless.

She sighed and hesitated before speaking. "Aiden…I—"

"Man, Hunter would hate this movie," Aiden suddenly blurted out.

Sophia's face twisted in confusion. "What?"

Aiden leaned back in his chair, shoving more popcorn in his mouth without a care. "Yeah. He hates rom-coms. He says they're unrealistic or whatever. He'd be sitting here all grumpy, picking apart the plot. 'That's stupid. That would never happen in real life. People don't actually fall in love that fast.'" Aiden chuckled, doing a low imitation of Hunter's voice.

Sophia tried to smile, but her eye twitched. "Oh…right."

Behind them, her two friends exchanged confused glances. One of them leaned over and whispered, "Why is he talking about his weird friend?"

Sophia straightened her posture. Okay, okay. Maybe he just needs another hint. She exhaled and tried again. "Aiden, I've been meaning to tell you something…"

"Oh, that reminds me!" Aiden turned to her, completely ignoring the way her eyes lit up with hope. "I always buy this popcorn 'cause it's Hunter's favorite. But he hates extra butter. He says it makes his fingers too greasy." He licked the butter off his fingers with a thoughtful expression. "I swear, he's such a picky eater. He won't eat nachos either because 'cheese shouldn't be that orange.'"

Sophia stared at him in disbelief. Is this guy serious?

Her friends behind her sighed dramatically. "What the hell is he even talking about? Can't he see such a hot girl beside him? Does he not know how to take advantage of a situation when she's giving out all the hints?"

Sophia felt embarrassed but ignored them and gripped the armrest. Try again, try again.

"Um…Aiden, do you—"

Aiden cut her off again. "Oh, and get this, Hunter never buys anything for himself." He huffed and shook her head like an old man. "Dumbass barely spends money unless it's for necessities. So whenever we go out, I make sure to buy all his favorite snacks. He acts annoyed, but I know he secretly loves it."

Sophia forced a tight smile. "That's…sweet of you."

"Yeah, right? And Hunter always buys my favorite stuff too. Even if I don't ask. If we go to a café, he orders my favorite drink without me even telling him. He knows what I like." Aiden proudly announced with a big smile. 

But then a sudden realization hit him like a truck. Hunter always did little things for him. Aiden had never really thought about them before. They were just…things Hunter did.

Like how Hunter would always carry a scarf for him because Aiden always forgot his and then whined about the cold. How Hunter would wordlessly give him his jacket when Aiden was shivering, sometimes rolling his eyes but never saying a word. How Hunter would tie Aiden's shoelaces when he was too busy eating ice cream or being distracted by something dumb. How Hunter wiped his mouth after meals when Aiden was too messy to care. 

How Hunter made sure he had breakfast every single morning because he knew Aiden was always late and never had time to eat. The countless little things—like making sure he drank enough water, carrying an extra charger because Aiden always forgot his, pulling him away from fights before he did something stupid.

Aiden's hands slowly lowered from his popcorn. His heart started to race. Wait…wait, wait, wait.

He looked at Sophia. If they did start dating…could he see himself doing all of that for her?

Could he picture himself tying her shoelaces? Wiping food off her mouth without hesitation? Holding onto a scarf just in case she needed it?

He tried to imagine it.

And for some reason…it felt wrong.

No, not just wrong—it felt impossible. Like something he couldn't do.

But then his mind turned to Hunter. 

What if Hunter started doing all those things for someone else? For a boyfriend? Aiden felt sick to his stomach even thinking about it. 

A strange, ugly feeling crawled up his spine, making his skin prickle. He didn't like that thought at all. 

Why?

Why did it make him so mad to picture Hunter carrying a scarf for someone else? Or tying someone else's shoelaces? Or—God forbid—wiping some other guy's mouth?

He felt like punching both Hunter and that guy? He wanted to throw the popcorn at both of them. 

No! He doesn't even want to imagine situations like this. He doesn't want to imagine Hunter with someone else. 

He felt…selfish. He wanted to keep Hunter all to himself. 

And he didn't know why.