Aiden wiped his tears with the sleeve of his hoodie, sniffling as he stomped his way down the sidewalk like a grumpy kitten. His cheeks were red half from the cold wind and half from crying. His other hand clutched the heavy bag of snacks for some comfort.
"Stupid Nick…stupid Jack…and stupid Ethan, ugh…" he grumbled, kicking a pebble so hard it flew into the street. "They can all eat dust!"
He reached the small restaurant Hunter worked at, feeling like the handsome boy would make everything feel better for him. But as he pushed open the glass door, the bell jingled above, and a bored-looking manager at the counter glanced up from her phone.
"Hunter?" Aiden asked, eyes scanning the place desperately.
"He left five minutes ago," she replied without even blinking.
Aiden's shoulders slumped.
"Just my damn luck…" he whispered to himself. Of course. Of course. The one person I wanted to see had left just minutes before.
He stepped outside again, pulling his hoodie tighter. The sun had dipped lower, and the alleys between the buildings on the walk to Hunter's place looked darker now. The streetlights weren't helping much. Aiden bit his lip nervously.
"It's fine," he mumbled, eyeing the shadowy paths suspiciously. "Nothing to scare of."
He tried to motivate himself but his head became dizzy when he rememberd Hunter's ghost story and weird moans.
He slapped his cheeks to hype himself up. "Come on, Aiden! Don't be a chicken nugget. You can do this. Hunter's place is just ten minutes away. You've survived horror movies, right? Okay, not really, but you've watched them."
He puffed out his cheeks, then exhaled slowly, giving himself a determined nod. His feet moved, one after another, hesitant but steady.
Because going back meant dealing with those so-called friends. It meant pretending like he didn't want to throw something at Nick's dumb face.
Only one person could fix this mood. Only one person could calm this storm in his head.
He needed to see Hunter. Even if he had to fight a ghost. Or a raccoon. Or, god forbid, a random couple going at it in a bush again.
Aiden marched on, pouting and muttering the whole way like a brave boy which he wasn't. But in his heart, there was only one thought.
Please be home, Hunter. I really, really need to see your stupidly handsome face right now.
Aiden clutched his bag of snacks tight, walking quickly down the uneven sidewalk, trying to focus on the sound of his own footsteps and not the rustling in the shadows.
But then, from one of the darker alley corners, came a hoarse chuckle which Aiden froze and his breath hitched.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" A large, scruffy man stepped into the dim light, eyes red and unfocused, he was clearly drunk. "You lost, sweetheart?"
Aiden's grip on the snack bag tightened. "Back off!"
But the man stepped closer. "Feisty. I like that. Wanna come with me, pretty boy?"
"I said back off!" Aiden yelled more loudly, his heart thumped in fear.
The man reached for him, grabbing his wrist roughly. Aiden struggled, kicking at him and trying to pull away, but the man was too strong. Panic started clawing up his chest.
"LET ME GO! GET OFF ME!" Aiden cried, his voice echoing through the empty street. "SOMEONE HELP!"
The man shoved him against the wall and laughed. Aiden's heart pounded like a drum, and his eyes welled with tears. His voice trembled as he screamed again, hopelessly.
"GET OFF HIM!" Suddenly, the man was punched hard which made his grip loose on Aiden.
The drunk man grunted and stumbled back as Hunter slammed into him with a punch straight to the jaw.
"Don't. Touch. Him." Hunter snarled through clenched teeth. The man tried to lunge again, but Hunter grabbed him by the collar and slammed him to the ground. Another punch. Then another.
"H-Hunter," Aiden croaked, trembling behind him.
Hunter dropped the man, who groaned and rolled away, unconscious or too broken to try again. Hunter's chest rose and fell with ragged breaths as he turned to Aiden.
"Are you okay?" he rushed to him, hands gently cupping Aiden's shaking shoulders. "Did he hurt you? Where? Tell me, Aiden, did he touch you?!"
Aiden shook his head violently, tears finally spilling. "N-No. I'm okay. You came—I just—" He threw his arms around Hunter and buried his face into his chest, sobbing against him. "I was so scared…"
Hunter wrapped his arms around him tightly, pressing his nose to Aiden's hair, breathing in deep as if grounding himself. "Shh…I've got you."
After a moment, Hunter gently pulled away to look at him, scanning his face and his arms. "Is there any bruises?"
Aiden shook his head. "No…J-Just scared…"
But Hunter didn't listen to him and thoroughly did his own inspection. When he was assured that there weren't any injuries, he bent to pick up both his own bag and Aiden's slightly crushed snack bag from the ground.
Without a word, he grabbed Aiden's hand and dragged him towards his place. The moment he locked the door behind them, he glanced at Aiden who still clutching the bag of snacks to his chest, cheeks streaked with dried tears. Hunter clenched his jaw.
He wanted to scold him. He wanted to ask what the hell Aiden was thinking, walking alone in dark alleys like that when Hunter has warned him again and again. He wanted to shake him a little and tell him he should've waited for Hunter. But the moment he saw Aiden's glassy eyes and small figure trembling, all that fire evaporated.
With a quiet sigh, Hunter walked him to his bed. Hunter sat and gently pulled him by the wrist to sit down as well.
But Aiden—sweet, clingy little mess that he was—mistook the gesture as though Hunter was pulling him in his lap and plopped himself right into Hunter's lap with a quiet plump. His arms wrapped around Hunter's neck like it was the only place in the world he felt safe, and his face buried into Hunter's shoulder.
Hunter's breath caught for a moment. But soon, he sighed and wrapped one arm around Aiden's waist, while the other coming up to cradle the back of his head.
"You'll be the death of me, one day," Hunter told him softly as he stroked Aiden's head.
Aiden sniffled against him. "You're not mad…?"
"I am," Hunter looked down at the boy who now seemed so small and tired in his lap. "But I can't scold you right now."
The thing he was most scared of happened. Everyday, he would hear some fucked up news about these alleys and that's why he never wanted Aiden to come here.
It wasn't long that he also tried to scare Aiden while cornered Aiden in this same damn alley. Hunter just thought Aiden would scared and never come back but he didn't expected Aiden's stupid enthusiasm of persuading him.
But it still doesn't change the fact that he got too many bad memories attached to this damn alley. Because of Hunter and now this creep.
Hunter's hand instinctively gripped Aiden's side a little tighter, pulling him closer without realizing.
The thought made his blood boil. He could still feel the heat in his fists from punching that drunk bastard. But more than anger, it was the guilt that sat heavier. Aiden didn't deserve any of this. Hunter could tell he's shaken up and traumatised.
He rubbed circles into Aiden's back, lowering his face so it brushed against soft blond hair.
He wanted wipe away every bad memory Aiden had, especially the ones he caused.
Trying to lighten the mood, Hunter reached over to the bag Aiden had clung onto like a lifeline all this time. He tore open a snack packet with one hand and shook the contents.
"Hey, look what I got," he teased gently. "Isn't it your favorite?"
Aiden peeked up with a pout. "I don't want to eat. I bought those for y-you. I was gonna s-surprise you"
Hunter smiled softly, fingers brushing under Aiden's chin to tilt his face up. "Then let's eat them together."
Before Aiden could respond, Hunter adjusted him in his lap like he weighed nothing, settling him against his chest and tucking his legs across his own.
"There. Perfect," he reached into the packet. "Open your mouth, come on."
Aiden obeyed with the tiniest smile, mouth opening like a baby bird, and Hunter fed him the first chip. Hunter fed him for a while and Aiden keep on eating greedily.
"Is it good?"
"Mmm," Aiden hummed with satisfaction. "Can I have another packet, please?"
Hunter chuckled. "You're such a little weirdo."
"I'm your weirdo," Aiden said with a mouthful, half-giggling as he leaned his head on Hunter's shoulder again.
Hunter just shook his head, feeding him another packet, watching with soft eyes as Aiden munched and chattered between bites, suddenly full of life again. One by one, the snacks vanished. Every packet that Aiden had so lovingly brought for Hunter got devoured by the same boy while sitting in his lap.
Hunter didn't mind one bit.
"Slow down, you'll get a tummy ache," he let out, brushing crumbs off Aiden's cheek with his thumb.
"But they're so gooood," Aiden groaned, reaching for another. "Also, I feel better now. Like…50% food and 50% you."
Hunter paused. His heart fluttered dangerously. "That so?"
"Mmhm." Aiden leaned in and gave Hunter's cheek a random kiss. "Thanks for saving me there."
Hunter went still. He quickly looked away, trying to hide the flush creeping up his neck. "You're seriously going to be the death of me, Aiden."
Aiden grinned brightly, his legs swinging slightly off Hunter's lap. "I won't."
And right then Hunter couldn't help but smile too.
Because as annoying, clingy, and chaotic as Aiden could be…nothing in this world made him feel more alive than having this silly boy safe in his arms.