The room was quiet except for the thud of bags landing on the study desk and the soft shuffle of footsteps. Troy walked ahead, his face calm and unreadable, while Eric followed silently. Eric was worried—Troy hadn’t spoken to him since the confrontation with his ex. But he didn’t think Troy was angry. After all, Troy had kissed him afterward. So, what was wrong? The silence felt heavy, making Eric uneasy. He didn’t like this quiet version of Troy, unsure if it meant he was pretending to be annoyed or truly upset.Troy kicked off his shoes and made his way toward his bed, ready to escape under the sheets. But as he moved to lay down, Eric grabbed his wrist, pulling him closer with surprising strength. Before Troy could protest, Eric’s other arm snaked firmly around his waist, holding him in place. "Thank you," Eric said softly, his voice a little rough, almost vulnerable. "For what?" Troy replied, feigning annoyance."For not getting angry at someone like me." Eric's gaze lowered
He paused, trying to make sense of it all. "Did he not see me? But I'm sure our eyes met." Aiden blinked, still unable to believe what had just occurred.He cast another glance in the direction Tristan had gone, but he was already out of sight."Is he mad at me? But he..."Aiden didn’t get to finish mumbling the words when an arm suddenly wrapped around his neck, pulling him into a loose headlock. Fingers ruffled his hair, leaving it a tousled mess.“Good to see you!” a familiar voice chimed.Aiden wriggled free, spinning around with an irritated frown. “What the hell, Sam?”Sam stood there grinning like an idiot, oblivious to Aiden’s annoyance. The rest of their friends just stared, curiosity written on their faces."Chill man, what’s with the face?" Sam teased, nudging him in the ribs. Aiden didn’t reply, his mood already ruined. Tristan’s cold exit lingered in his mind like an itch he couldn’t scratch. He brushed a hand through his disheveled hair and turned to leave without a wo
"You’re such a pain," Tristan said softly, a small smile forming on his lips as he held Aiden closer, one hand gently stroking his hair. "A pain I just can’t cure. One I’m addicted to." He hugged Aiden even tighter, as if to keep him from slipping away. As they slowly pulled back from the hug, Aiden’s bottom lip pushed forward in a soft pout, his brows slightly furrowed like a child waiting for attention. Tristan couldn’t help but smile at the sight, leaning in to place a quick, feather-light kiss on Aiden’s lips. It was brief, but it was enough to make Aiden’s pout fade into a quiet, satisfied grin. Tristan sat on the bench at the rooftop and Aiden lay sprawled across Tristan’s lap, his head resting comfortably as a gentle breeze swept over them."Exams are next week," Tristan began, his fingers absentmindedly brushing through Aiden’s hair. "The day right before the big match."Aiden turned his head to look up at Tristan. "I heard," he muttered."What’s next on your agenda after
"I'm gonna play for him," he added under his breath, determined "Win for him...as a gift for being the best."And with that, the whistle blew, and Aiden stepped forward, ready to give it his all just for Tristan.The whistle echoed throughout the court as the game began—a fast, heated match that kept everyone on edge. Sweat glistened on foreheads, sneakers squeaked against the polished wood, and a surge of energy pulsed through the players like wildfire. "This team is tough," Sam muttered under his breath, nudging Aiden with his elbow. But Aiden wasn’t listening. His gaze was sharp, scanning every corner of the court. 'this shouldn’t be any different from all the other courts I’ve played on…' Aiden thought, brows furrowed. 'So what’s wrong?, why does it feel so hard? Are they just better than us?As his focus sharpened, his eyes landed...almost unconsciously on Tristan. He was standing on the sidelines, arms crossed, watching the game with unwavering attention. The moment their ga
“Do you feel it too?” Aiden’s voice was so low that Tristan barely heard him, but the words sent a shiver down his spine.As Aiden moved even closer, he blinked several times, taking another step back to put more space between them. A smirk hinted at the corners of Aiden’s silver eyes and caused the skin around his lips to crinkle. He advanced one step forward, then another, until he’d pressed Tristan against the wall with nowhere left for him to go. Tristan’s Adam-apple bobbed as he swallowed hard and tried not to meet Aiden's gaze.“Or is it just me?” Tristan’s breath caught as Aiden’s fingers brushed his, the contact lingering longer than it should have. They were standing too close—closer than brothers should—but neither of them made a move to create space. The heat between them was undeniable in a way that felt dangerous, like standing too close to a flame that could either warm you or burn you alive.Suddenly the power went out, but their faces were still visible thanks to the
Aiden angrily stormed out of the classroom, not responding to the lecturer’s call. How was this even fair? Among all the seniors, he had to be paired with Tristan? That alone got on his nerves and he hated everything else about it too. In fact, it gave him a reason to drop this course—if only he could.“Aiden?” He heard someone call after him but without turning back, he knew it would be one of his friends.“You shouldn’t have left class like that.” Troy said, catching up with him. Aiden rolled his eyes and flicked his hand at the comment.“But that’s not my concern” Troy kept going, “What’s up with you and Tristan?”At that, Aiden suddenly turned towards him, the look on his face so deadly it could stop a heart.“Don’t ever, 'ever', mention that name near me again. ’’ Aiden said through tight lips. Troy only nodded and threw up his hands, not particularly bothered. That was Aiden's problem and he could deal with it however he wanted.“So, what about today’s game? You in?” Troy asked,
"Son of a b*tch!" Aiden sneered, throwing an even harder punch at Tristan before he could retaliate. Tristan shot him a deadly glare, struggling to keep his anger in check.At this moment, he couldn't care less about being the older one. He had been holding back for months, trying to stay calm, but it wasn’t working anymore. For too long, he had let Aiden do whatever he wanted, trying to act mature, but he was done with that now.As Aiden swung at him again, Tristan caught his fist mid-air, using his free hand to throw a brutal punch that split Aiden’s lip instantly.But Aiden wasn't about to back down. The fight escalated, filling the dorm room with the sound of shattering glass, bodies slamming against walls, and labored breaths. Yet, no one stepped in to stop the madness.Aiden suddenly landed a hard punch, knocking Tristan to the ground, blood trickling from his lips. Aiden wasted no time, grabbing Tristan’s shirt, his fist clenched tightly."If you ever drag my dad into this agai
"Tristan..." she called, her voice filled with surprise. She couldn't believe he had just raised his voice at her—something he had never done before."You always manage to spoil my mood," Tristan said, taking off his glasses as he walked to his wardrobe. He pulled out a bedspread and laid it on the floor."You can take the bed" he muttered, lying down and turning his back to his mother, who sighed sadly.The pain of trying to get the two boys on good terms was eating her up. She couldn't just leave Aiden like that. She pitied him, pitied what he had endured in the past, and she believed that was why he resented having a new mom."Please, for my sake, Tristan, be kind to Aiden and be mindful of what you say to him... please," she said, her voice soft and pleading. Tristan rolled his eyes subtly. Why was she trying so hard to make Aiden like her? It didn’t make sense to him."I need to be at school by 7 a.m.," he replied curtly, still refusing to face his mother.*****Troy and Jefferso
"I'm gonna play for him," he added under his breath, determined "Win for him...as a gift for being the best."And with that, the whistle blew, and Aiden stepped forward, ready to give it his all just for Tristan.The whistle echoed throughout the court as the game began—a fast, heated match that kept everyone on edge. Sweat glistened on foreheads, sneakers squeaked against the polished wood, and a surge of energy pulsed through the players like wildfire. "This team is tough," Sam muttered under his breath, nudging Aiden with his elbow. But Aiden wasn’t listening. His gaze was sharp, scanning every corner of the court. 'this shouldn’t be any different from all the other courts I’ve played on…' Aiden thought, brows furrowed. 'So what’s wrong?, why does it feel so hard? Are they just better than us?As his focus sharpened, his eyes landed...almost unconsciously on Tristan. He was standing on the sidelines, arms crossed, watching the game with unwavering attention. The moment their ga
"You’re such a pain," Tristan said softly, a small smile forming on his lips as he held Aiden closer, one hand gently stroking his hair. "A pain I just can’t cure. One I’m addicted to." He hugged Aiden even tighter, as if to keep him from slipping away. As they slowly pulled back from the hug, Aiden’s bottom lip pushed forward in a soft pout, his brows slightly furrowed like a child waiting for attention. Tristan couldn’t help but smile at the sight, leaning in to place a quick, feather-light kiss on Aiden’s lips. It was brief, but it was enough to make Aiden’s pout fade into a quiet, satisfied grin. Tristan sat on the bench at the rooftop and Aiden lay sprawled across Tristan’s lap, his head resting comfortably as a gentle breeze swept over them."Exams are next week," Tristan began, his fingers absentmindedly brushing through Aiden’s hair. "The day right before the big match."Aiden turned his head to look up at Tristan. "I heard," he muttered."What’s next on your agenda after
He paused, trying to make sense of it all. "Did he not see me? But I'm sure our eyes met." Aiden blinked, still unable to believe what had just occurred.He cast another glance in the direction Tristan had gone, but he was already out of sight."Is he mad at me? But he..."Aiden didn’t get to finish mumbling the words when an arm suddenly wrapped around his neck, pulling him into a loose headlock. Fingers ruffled his hair, leaving it a tousled mess.“Good to see you!” a familiar voice chimed.Aiden wriggled free, spinning around with an irritated frown. “What the hell, Sam?”Sam stood there grinning like an idiot, oblivious to Aiden’s annoyance. The rest of their friends just stared, curiosity written on their faces."Chill man, what’s with the face?" Sam teased, nudging him in the ribs. Aiden didn’t reply, his mood already ruined. Tristan’s cold exit lingered in his mind like an itch he couldn’t scratch. He brushed a hand through his disheveled hair and turned to leave without a wo
The room was quiet except for the thud of bags landing on the study desk and the soft shuffle of footsteps. Troy walked ahead, his face calm and unreadable, while Eric followed silently. Eric was worried—Troy hadn’t spoken to him since the confrontation with his ex. But he didn’t think Troy was angry. After all, Troy had kissed him afterward. So, what was wrong? The silence felt heavy, making Eric uneasy. He didn’t like this quiet version of Troy, unsure if it meant he was pretending to be annoyed or truly upset.Troy kicked off his shoes and made his way toward his bed, ready to escape under the sheets. But as he moved to lay down, Eric grabbed his wrist, pulling him closer with surprising strength. Before Troy could protest, Eric’s other arm snaked firmly around his waist, holding him in place. "Thank you," Eric said softly, his voice a little rough, almost vulnerable. "For what?" Troy replied, feigning annoyance."For not getting angry at someone like me." Eric's gaze lowered
Troy raised an eyebrow, his ice cream momentarily forgotten. He looked between Eric and the stranger, his curiosity piqued. "Who’s this?" Troy asked, breaking the awkward silence. The guy turned to look at Troy, flashing him a smile, "Me? I'm his..."Eric sighed, running a hand through his hair as if trying to keep his patience intact. "No one important," he muttered, his gaze locked on the guy who had a smile on."Oh, come on, Eric," the guy drawled, his smile unfazed. "Don’t be so cold. We used to...""That’s enough," Eric cut in sharply, his voice suddenly cold."Is this how you treat a boyfriend?" he asked, scoffing."Say one more word, and I swear I'm gonna knock your teeth out," Eric warned, his tone deadly serious.Troy watched the exchange in silence, his brows knitting together."Eric..." The other man began, but before he could finish, Eric grabbed Troy's hand, intertwining their fingers as he gently yet urgently pulled Troy away. Neither of them said a word until they f
“It hurts… I’m in pain,” he whispered, his voice breaking as the sobs overtook him. “Aiden is so mad at me.”Belinda pulled him into a comforting embrace, gently patting his back as his tears soaked into her shoulder.Tristan hiccupped like a child, unable to hold back his sobs. After a moment, Belinda pulled away from the hug and cupped his face in her hands. She gently wiped his tears with her thumbs, her touch tender.She looked at him, her heart aching. This was the boy she had cared for most of his life, someone who felt like more than family to her. Seeing him so broken hurt in a way she couldn’t put into words.The last time she had seen him cry like this was sixteen years ago… when he was suddenly called home and didn’t get the chance to say a proper goodbye to Aiden.“What can I do to fix this?” she whispered, more to herself than to him.Tristan gently pulled her hands away from his face. “What can we do, Aunt? Mom’s already married to his dad. What are we supposed to do....
Kai was sprawled on his bed, scrolling through his phone, when a sudden knock echoed through the quiet dorm. He frowned, lifting a brow. He wasn’t expecting anyone."Who's there?" he called out lazily, but no reply came. The silence that followed felt odd. Sighing, he got up and went to the door. When he opened it, his expression softened slightly. Aiden stood there.Kai stepped aside without a word, letting Aiden in. He didn’t need to ask...something was clearly up."Sorry I came unannounced," Aiden mumbled as he walked straight to Kai’s bed and sat on it. His voice was low, almost defeated. After a pause, he added, "Can I spend the night?"Kai scoffed lightly, moving toward the small couch positioned near the bed. "Since when have you been asking for my permission?" He eyed Aiden carefully, noting his tired features, the slight redness in his eyes. "What happened? Cried too much? Is this about Tristan?"Aiden inhaled sharply but didn’t meet his gaze. "Please don’t ask..." he muttere
— Present Day.Aiden sat upright on the bed as Tristan explained the whole event.His swollen eyes locked onto Tristan, the weight of everything finally sinking in. Tristan's words echoed in his mind, yet he couldn’t fully grasp their meaning—at least, not yet. "Since when did you know I’m 'that' Aiden?" Aiden’s voice was steady, though there was an underlying bitterness that was hard to ignore. He stared at Tristan, searching for some kind of answer, something that could explain the twisted situation they found themselves in. Tristan hesitated for a moment, looking as if the truth pained him. "From the start. From the moment I was transferred to our high school," he admitted, his gaze dropping to the floor. "When Mom got engaged, I moved here. A month later, I found out. If I’d known earlier... maybe I would’ve tried to explain things to my mom... and to your Dad." Aiden’s expression hardened, a slow, controlled anger rising inside him. "You knew a month after being transferred
—Sixteen years ago.Day after day, Tristan and Aiden became inseparable. Their bond grew stronger with every passing moment, as if they were unknowingly building a foundation for something that would last a lifetime. They did everything together, playing, talking, and exploring the little world around them.One quiet afternoon, Tristan sat alone in the sitting room, flipping through the pages of a book he wasn’t truly reading. His aunt entered with a tray carrying two plates of pasta primavera. She set them down on the table and sat beside him."Here’s your lunch," she said, handing him a plate.Tristan didn’t move to eat. His eyes shifted toward the door."Not hungry?" Belinda asked, raising an eyebrow."I’m waiting for Aiden," Tristan replied, setting the plate aside, causing Belinda to smile."You really like him, don’t you?" Tristan nodded, his face lighting up at the thought of his friend. Belinda chuckled and leaned closer, her tone playful. "Do you like him enough to marry h