The soft morning light leaked through the threadbare curtain, brushing golden strokes across the tiny room like a blessing. Aiden stirred, blinking his sleep-hazy eyes open. It took him a moment to register where he was. His cheek was pressed against something warm and solid, his legs tangled with someone else's, and a soft, steady heartbeat thumping right beneath his ear.
Aiden blinked again and realization dawned on him. He was sprawled right on top of Hunter, his whole body draped over him like a blanket. One of Hunter's arms was wrapped tightly around his waist, the other resting along his back as if keeping him in place even in sleep.
Aiden's lips curled into an evil smile.
Instead of getting up, he wanted to enjoy the moment.
The feeling of Hunter's strong chest rising and falling beneath him, the warmth seeping into every part of Aiden's body. He could feel the muscles under Hunter's clothes, the firmness of his abs where Aiden's hand had somehow ended up. He blushed a little but didn't pull away. Instead, he rested his chin on Hunter's chest and looked up at his sleeping face.
Why are you so handsome in your sleep, huh?"
Hunter's usually guarded, gloomy face looked completely relaxed while he slept. His lashes were thick and long, brushing the tops of his cheeks, and his lips, his stupidly kissable lips were parted just slightly. Aiden reached up and gently poked his cheek with a grin.
"Your royal grumpiness looks almost angelic like this," he whispered playfully.
Hunter didn't stir thankfully. Aiden, now emboldened, reached out with both hands and gently squished Hunter's cheeks together, making his lips pucker. He giggled softly, careful not to wake him. "You're so cute when you're not scowling."
His fingers wandered to Hunter's hair, brushing it away from his forehead. He played softly with the dark strands, then traced the slope of Hunter's nose with a feather-light touch. "How are you this hot and still such a dork?"
He giggled again, his smile growing as he studied every inch of Hunter's face like he was memorizing it. He leaned forward just a little, close enough to feel Hunter's chin against his own lips but stopped himself.
"Aiden, you have lost your mind," he whispered to himself, cheeks turning pink.
Still, he stayed right there, pressed to Hunter's chest, their legs tangled up like ivy, hearts so close it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.
His fingers slipped down, softly grazing Hunter's collarbone, then down again, he paused as he felt the firm abs through the clothes.
"Damn…" he whispered with a smirk. "Okay, who let you be this built and mysterious and moody?"
Hunter moved slightly in his sleep, his grip tightening around Aiden's waist, pulling him even closer unconsciously. His voice came out groggy and rough from sleep.
"Mmm…stop playing with my face, idiot…"
Aiden jumped in shock. He looked to see Hunter's eyes were still closed.
"You were awake?!"
Hunter groaned, but then a slow smirk pulled at the corner of his lips, though he kept his eyes shut. "I wasn't until a certain kitten started poking and feeling me around."
"That's because you are like a big squishy toy," Aiden said proudly, poking his cheek again.
Hunter finally opened one eye and looked at him, sleepy, half-lidded, and devastatingly attractive. "I should throw you out for molesting me in my sleep."
Aiden gasped. "Molesting?! I was appreciating your pretty face!"
Hunter yawned and shut his eye again. "Yeah, yeah. 'Appreciating' my abs too, huh?"
Aiden's face turned crimson. "Y-you were awake for that?!"
Hunter just chuckled softly, and without another word, pulled Aiden close and rested his chin on top of his head.
Aiden pouted and grumbled into Hunter's chest, "Ugh…you ruin everything."
Hunter's lips ghosted over the crown of his hair. "Don't yell so early in the morning."
Before Aiden could respond he heard his phone buzzing. Picking it up, he saw numerous notifications. His fingers tapped away lazily on his phone screen while still lying on top of Hunter. His lips curled into a sweet little smile as he texted his mom:
"I'll be back in about an hour. Don't worry, love you!"
Hunter looked at his heart melting smile and it sparked a bitter feeling in his chest. "Who're you texting?"
Aiden blinked, then looked down at him. He frowned at Hunter's sour face and a smirked appeared on his face.
"Wow," he closed his phone as his eyes glittered with mischief. "So, you're the possessive type, huh?"
Hunter rolled his eyes. "I just asked a question."
"Uh-huh," Aiden teased, setting his phone down deliberately slow. He scooted up just a little, resting his chin on Hunter's chest now. "What's next? You gonna check my call log? Ban me from talking to other guys? Tell me, what else are you gonna do?"
Hunter's eyes narrowed slightly, though his heart was thumping in his chest. "I didn't say that."
"But you thought about it, right?" Aiden smiled widely as he directly looked in Hunter's dark eyes. "Jealousy doesn't look too bad on you actually."
Hunter scoffed and looked away, ears betraying him as they turned a faint red. "You're imagining things."
"Oh please," Aiden giggled, now draping himself fully on top of Hunter like a smug little cat. "You glared at my phone like it personally offended you."
Hunter glanced back at him. "So? Who was it?"
"My mom, you idiot. She wanted to know where I was. I told her I'm safe and I'll be back soon."
Hunter's expression softened just a little, though he didn't drop the act. "Tch! Could've just said that."
"But then I wouldn't get to see your pouty jealous face," Aiden cooed, reaching up and pinching Hunter's cheek. "It's actually kinda hot. Keep doing it from now on, okay?"
Hunter grabbed his hand and pinned it down against his chest, staring up at him. "You really have no fear, do you?"
Aiden grinned wide, not backing down even a little. "Not when I'm with you. I don't fear anything when you're with me to protect me."
Hunter blinked, caught off guard and in that second of silence, his grip loosened.
Aiden took the advantage of his silence and leaned in, nose brushing against Hunter's. "And…if you're gonna act like a possessive boyfriend, you might as well make it official."
Hunter's heart skipped. "You're insane."
"I'm yours," Aiden whispered, beaming down at him. "So you better take responsibility for whatever I am."
Hunter couldn't breathe for a second. And he hated how much he loved hearing Aiden.
◾◾◾
Hunter walked Aiden all the way to his home. When they reached Aiden's gate, Aiden turned to him, swaying a little on his heels with his hands behind his back.
"Sooo…you're just gonna leave like that?"
Hunter raised a brow. "Yeah? What else am I supposed to do?"
Aiden pouted dramatically, stepping closer to Hunter. "How about a goodbye kiss?"
Hunter rolled his eyes and smirked but before Aiden could tilt his head up any closer to do his usual mischief Hunter's fingers flicked against his forehead.
"Ow!" Aiden yelped and rubbed his forehead.
"That's your kiss, idiot," Hunter teased.
Aiden stuck his tongue out, but Hunter was already turning to leave. Still, the small smile on Hunter's face didn't go unnoticed.
Inside, Aiden stepped through the front door, stretching his arms as the smell of freshly made breakfast hit his nose. His parents were already at the dining table, his mother dressed in her dark blazer, flipping through documents on her tablet while sipping coffee. His father sat beside her, also dressed for travel, munching on toast with a calm expression.
"Come and eat," his mom noted without looking up. "We need to leave early."
"Morning!" Aiden chirped as he rushed over to the table and immediately started piling food onto his plate. He began gobbling it down like he hadn't eaten in years.
His mom finally looked at him over her glasses. "Eat like a human, Aiden."
"I am human," he mumbled through a mouthful of egg.
"I doubt that sometimes."
His father chuckled, patting him on the head. "You look happy today."
"Am I not always?" Aiden smirked, cheeks full like a squirrel.
His mom set her tablet down. "Aiden, listen. I have to go out of town for a case. It's serious, big politicians and the media are involved. I'll be gone for a week, maybe more."
Aiden blinked but didn't look surprised. "Got it. So Dad's going with you, right?"
"Yes. You know how it is. It's getting a little messy, and I need him there to keep an eye on things."
Aiden nodded. It wasn't the first time. His mom's work as a lawyer had always been intense, handling high-profile cases, court dramas, and often disappearing for days or even weeks at a time. But he'd never once complained. Aiden always admired her. She was strong and fierce like a lioness in heels. And he'd learned to be independent because of that.
"That's fine," he said with a mouthful of toast. "I can manage."
"I know you can," she smiled softly. "You've always been a good kid."
His father added, "But don't burn the house down again."
"I only did that once!" Aiden huffed.
His mother raised a brow. "Which is why and I mean it you're not allowed to cook anything. I have talked to the nearby restaurant, they'll send you the food or anything you want to order. Just give them a call."
Aiden narrowed his eyes and slammed his fork down. "So dramatic! That was barely even a fire! The toast just wanted to experience rebirth!"
His mom groaned and stood. "Aiden, baby, just promise me you won't do anything stupid."
Aiden crossed his heart with both hands. "I solemnly swear I will not commit any crimes in the kitchen."
His father laughed. "Close enough."
Aiden watched as his mom gathered her briefcase and his dad took the luggage. They headed for the door, and just before leaving, his mom turned back.
"If anything happens, you need to call us immediately, okay?"
As his mom reached for her coat and his dad rolled the suitcase toward the door, Aiden suddenly perked up like a lightbulb had gone off in his head.
"Wait, wait, wait!" he called, scrambling up from the table. "Can I have Hunter over while you guys are away?"
His mother paused mid-step. "Hunter?"
"Yes!" Aiden clasped his hands together in front of his chest. "Pleeease! He can help me survive, and he's responsible and scary to strangers, and—"
"I think that's actually a good idea," his dad cut in with a knowing smile. "If Hunter is here with him. We don't have to worry about him burning the kitchen."
Aiden gasped, eyes sparkling. "Yes! Yes! Oh my God, Mom, please call him now! He won't say no to you!"
His mother sighed, already pulling out her phone. "You're such a spoiled brat, I swear."
But she smiled and tapped Hunter's contact.
Aiden immediately dropped to his knees in front of her like she was some ancient goddess he was praying to. "Please mom! You must convince him even if he denies. He's really shy."
"Get up, you little weirdo," she shook her head, putting the phone to her ear.
After a few rings, she nodded. "Hello, Hunter? Yes. Sorry to call you early. I'm leaving town for work, and Aiden insists he's going to turn our kitchen into a battlefield unless someone responsible watches over him."
Aiden crawled closer to her legs. Say yes, say yes, say yes…
She glanced at Aiden, then added into the phone, "Honestly, I'm just worried he'll do something stupid if he's alone. Can I trust you to keep an eye on him?"
There was a pause. After a while, she smiled and said, "Thank you, Hunter. I knew I could count on you."
Aiden jumped up like he just won a gold medal and screamed, "YEEESSS!!" He threw his arms in the air and spun in a circle like a puppy.
His mom hung up and narrowed her eyes. "You better not bother him too much."
Aiden pointed to himself proudly. "I'm the best housemate."
"You're the definition of chaos."
"Love you too, Mom!"
As she and his dad finally stepped out the door, Aiden flopped back on the couch with the goofiest smile on his face, kicking his feet in the air.
Hunter is coming over.
For a whole week.