Archive of Our Own ^beta

Harvard stared at the message Aiden had sent the King’s Row chat. October 31st, Kane Mansion, Halloween Rager. Bring your +1 and your own bottle! Costumes required (and make them sexy). He shook his head, looking up at where his best friend was sprawled on the couch. He’d been at Aiden’s house for the first long weekend of the semester. He was often over when Aiden’s parents were away, which was nearly every weekend.

“Aiden,” The dirty blonde looked up, cocking an eyebrow. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Aiden rolled his eyes.

“Harvard,” He leaned forward, conspiratorially. As though they were two secret agents forming an escape plan. “This is the best idea I’ve ever had.”

Harvard tapped his fingers on the white leather of the pillow beneath him. He smiled. “I should stop you. Help you make responsible decisions.”

“You can’t resist me.” Aiden went back to lounging, sprawling. His phone covered his face, as he typed out a second message to send out. “And, who knows, maybe you’ll meet the love of your life at this party. I’ve invited basically everyone I know and their mothers.”

Harvard shook his head. But I’ve already got you here. Then his smile dropped. “Wait. What? Everyone?”

Aiden smiled, the charming, flawless smile that dazzled whoever was lucky (or unlucky) enough to witness it. Harvard had built an immunity to it. “Everyone.”

Harvard pursed his lips, but let the topic drop. He’d be there to help Aiden set up, and clean up, which meant he’d also be there to help keep things in line during the party. Aiden’s parties were always huge, known deals, but this was different. This wasn’t sponsored by his parents, and he wasn’t asking permission to host it. And no champagne fountains, either.

Harvard’s phone pinged, demanding his attention. Aiden Kane @ King’s Row Fencing: be ready to get wrecked. tanner we’ll need the karaoke machine. His brow furrowed.

He could only hope for the best. Aiden let his calf slide against Harvard’s own leg. He looked back up. Aiden smiled, the normal, homey smile he loved. “Don’t look so worried, Harv. It’s gonna be fine.”

Harvard doubted that.

The fateful day arrived, Halloween. There had been a buzz about the party all around King’s Row, and beyond, since Aiden’s announcement. Who’s dressing up as what, who’s driving who, who wanted to hook up with who: Harvard found it all to be buzzing in the background. Especially now.

They were back at Aiden’s house now, having set up a majority of the decorations already. They’d spent hours putting up fake spiderwebs and taking down the real ones they had found, because Harvard knew Aiden would be scared of getting them in his hair. They’d prepared tables with rows of cups, bowls of snacks and an impressive sound system. A sophomore kid from King’s Row would be their DJ for the night, and although Aiden hadn’t been able to remember the kids name, Harvard had made sure to seek them out and thank them profusely. The kid seemed flippant about the whole ordeal, but who wasn’t flippant as a sophomore? Harvard knew the answer, he hadn’t been, but he also knew "flippant"  wasn’t exactly the word anyone would use to describe him, ever.

He tugged the robe he had on tighter. Aiden had offered that, as hosts, they should match, but he’d chosen, out of all things, to be a playboy bunny for halloween, which relegated Harvard to being clad in a dark button up, slacks, and a dark red robe that felt a little too hot. He liked the sailor hat, though. He did find that matching with Aiden made him quite happy. He knew they came in a pair, and he loved cheesy costumes. He adjusted the hat on his head. He didn’t mind the whole getup, and he liked that he could easily look entirely normal if needed be. Like if the cops were called, or if he had to attend to give paramedics someone’s information. He sighed. He hoped there needn't be.

He’d been waiting for Aiden to finish changing into his costume for at least twenty minutes, but he knew how long Aiden took, and he didn’t mind much. He definitely was not looking forward to having to pretend his best friend wasn’t the most gorgeous person he’d ever laid eyes on once he did finish, though.

This had been a recent development to be fair: he hadn’t built a resistance to Aiden’s beauty like he had to every other charming aspect of him, because he’d never had to before. Of course he knew Aiden was beautiful, but he never thought it would affect him in the way it did everyone else. He had rarely gone a day without seeing Aiden since they became friends, which meant his blooming into a man rather than a kid had occurred gradually to Harvard. Like he hadn’t noticed himself growing in the mirror, he hadn’t noticed Aiden growing in front of him. He didn’t even know what had sprung upon him the sudden prowess to find Aiden so attractive, he just wished it hadn’t happened. He felt like he was fourteen again, in the King's Row locker room for the first time.

So, basically, he felt like a creep, and an idiot, and like one of the dozens of admirers Aiden had lined up, which was, always, a hopeless endeavor. To stand in line and hope. Harvard disliked them for treating Aiden like an idea rather than a person: his nose scrunched at the thought. His best friend was much more than that.

He caught a glimpse of Aiden putting on cologne in the bathroom mirror through the small crack in the door. He seemed to have the inhuman ability to tell when he was being observed. Most of the time, that is. Harvard kept those small moments in which he didn’t notice for himself. This time, his best friend glanced up to meet Harvard’s eyes, and smiled. Harvard smiled back, until Aiden closed the door with the top of his foot.

Harvard laid back onto the bed with a huff, robe splayed out behind him, Aiden’s teddy bear digging into his back. He shifted, pulled Harvard Paw out, and gave him a fluff-up before reaching up to place him by Aiden’s pillow. Why did his chest have to tighten when Aiden smiled like that? He dragged his hands over his face. He sat up at the creak of the bathroom door, just in time to see Aiden emerge.

“Tad-ah! What do we think?” Aiden twirled, though there was little to twirl at all. His costume was all skin, a black corset teddy that showed off entirely too much leg was cut off in a pointed sweetheart neckline on Aiden’s chest. A small, inconsequential, really, shirt collar adorned his neck, and matching shirt cuffs covered his wrists. Pristine, white bunny ears were atop his head, one slightly tilted in a charmingly messy way. Harvard nodded, decidedly not looking at the fishnets that covered expanses and expanses of skin on Aiden’s legs, that lead down to a pair of black heels. Not that he noticed, of course.

“Aren’t I the most gorgeous boy you’ve ever seen?”

He gave a little bow, which gave Harvard way too much to see of down-his-best-friend’s-costume. He looked away. There was a teasing quality to Aiden’s statement, and Harvard was unsure of how to respond, if there even was an appropriate response. I’d let you do anything to me right now isn’t exactly, well, his style. This was all so ridiculous. He wanted to groan out of frustration, but he refused to give into the instinct. 

“You look great, but you always do,” Harvard smiled, forcibly, standing up. Then, teasing: “All the competition's gonna get lost, you’ll just blind them.”

Aiden swatted him lightly. “Don’t be so jealous, oh dear. I know you’d lock me away if you could. Who wouldn’t.”

Harvard snorted. Sometimes, Aiden was pretty ridiculous. He started for the door. “Kally and Tanner will be here soon, let’s finish putting the chairs out.”

He saw Aiden purse his lips at Harvard’s sense of responsibility, but didn’t, for once, insist that if people want to sit, they can sort it out themselves. Instead, he followed, heels clacking on pristine floors. 

Aiden was kind of going crazy. Like, okay, maybe the way to go about confessing his insane, crazy, romantic, want-to-share-a-house-with-you feelings to Harvard should be more direct, but if he’s wrong, then it could be a disaster. So he’d been going the subtle route. See if, maybe, Harvard would be the one to confess to him. Or just sweep him off his feet and into bed. In their shared home. Kind of both worked, really.

Yet, Harvard hadn’t had nearly the reaction to Aiden’s costume as he’d hoped. Barely any reaction at all. He’d kind of sat, rigid, and then stood, rigid, and bantered like they always did, and then walked out to go set up chairs. Aiden had wanted to groan in frustration, but he suppressed the desire and followed right after.

He’d follow Harvard anywhere, anyway, no matter what they were. God, he was in trouble here. He sighed, as inaudible as he could, and helped Harvard place the dozen chairs in his living room in a semicircle around where the karaoke machine would be once Kally and Tanner got here with it in tow. He just couldn’t understand what else he could do to get Harvard to make a move. Any kind of move. He’d spent months employing all his best tactics, his best looks (of which, admittedly, there were many) and his best date ideas. Harvard just took it all in stride to show how close of a friendship they had. Aiden wanted the close friendship, but he also wanted Harvard’s arms wrapped around him in less-than-friendly ways. He placed the next chair down with a little too much force. Harvard turned to give him a confused look.

Tanner and Kally arrived pretty soon after, karaoke machine in Tanner’s arms (even though it, well, had wheels? Aiden didn’t comment) and enthusiastic stories of everyone’s expectations for the party. They were dressed pretty cute, Aiden thought. Kally was a mad scientist, Tanner was covered in green body paint in an approximation of a Frankenstein costume.

“It’s Frankenstein’s monster, technically,” Kally said as Aiden led them through to the living room. “And I’m Dr. Frankenstein.”

“Does it really matter? I mean, everyone knows who you’re supposed to be.” Aiden stopped in front of the couch. He knew of the common misconception, but there were certain aspects of his persona he had to keep up. Like that he didn’t really listen in literature class. He raised an eyebrow. Tanner was still carrying the machine in his arms. Kally shrugged.

“People always get it wrong, so it’s important to note.” Aiden nodded, arms crossed, and Harvard thankfully came over to chat away in that charming way of his as he and Tanner figured out cables. He really hadn’t considered how crouching down and bending over would be impacted by this costume.

Well, he had, actually, thought about the bending over part. But so far his thought out plan had all gone to waste. So now he stood, legs straight, torso slightly bent, as he directed Tanner’s freckled hands around the complicated bundles of cables that were hidden inside the TV’s white cupboard.

They eventually got it to work, and Aiden straightened up to absentmindedly fix his bunny ears. They’d begun to slip down his hair and into his eyes. He turned back to Kally and Harvard, only to find the latter already staring at him. They looked at each other for a second, until Tanner also tried to stand up, and promptly hit his head on the cupboard.

“Oh, this is– Tanner!” Kally knelt next to his friend and carefully rubbed at the spot on his head. All was forgotten of the awkward moment as Aiden left to get a pack of frozen peas as instructed by Kally. 

Tanner ended up being fine, but Aiden still worried his bottom lip between his teeth.

By the time guests began pouring in the front door, Aiden was already over it. Harvard had always been the better one at pleasantries, but as the house was his, he had to welcome everyone too. At least in the early stages, until he could head off wherever his heart desired.

The thing was, Aiden just didn’t care much for introductions when it wasn’t someone he wished to charm, or get something out of. He didn’t care much at all, when they tried charming him first. He would’ve, maybe, if he’d been a couple years younger and in the full throws of his dramatic ascent into being-in-love-with-Harvard-dom, but now he was just over it. He was over many things.

Except, Seiji Katayama standing in his doorway with a full Phantom of the Opera costume. An overly enthusiastic Bobby and Nicholas, and a not enthusiastic at all Dante stood beside him, with an encouraging aura. Aiden opened his mouth to speak, but was rudely interrupted.

“Don’t, Kane. I’m only here because I was forced to be.” Seiji crossed his arms, cape draped over his shoulders and fluttering in the late October breeze. Aiden raised his hands in defeat.

“Whatever you say,” He turned to Nicholas and Bobby. “Who’s idea was it?”

Bobby raised a hand, and Aiden high fived him. He would always welcome entertainment like this. Seiji huffed, half of his face covered by a white, form fitting mask. Nicholas was clad in an approximation of a Deadpool costume, sans the mask, which he guessed Bobby had probably helped sew together. Bobby and Dante stood side by side, in matching alien and astronaut costumes. Small antennae bopped on Bobby’s head as he complimented the seamswork on Aiden’s corset. He nodded along, once again outside of his area of expertise. Nicholas looped his arm through Seiji’s, who reddened.

“Come on, let’s head inside. I’m sure you two have a lot of people to welcome.” He winked, which left Aiden to raise an eyebrow, unimpressed. Was that meant to be a joke?

“Get lost, Cox. Kitchen’s down to the left,” He pointed. Then he turned to Dante. “We’re still on for you mixing drinks this early?”

Dante nodded, making headway through the growing crowd, the other three trotting after him. It was sort of cute, in a weird, duck family kind of way. Aiden didn’t like to think of Seiji’s reaction to being called a duckling.

“You’re making Dante work? You’re awful,” Harvard lightly punched Aiden’s arm.

“He’s the one who offered. Said he’d rather know exactly what they were putting in people’s drinks. As much as he can, at least. And he doesn’t drink, did you know that?”

“Huh,” Harvard thought for a moment. “I guess not. I always assumed Italians, you know, with all the wine…”

“Yeah,” Aiden shrugged. “I’m pretty sure it’s mostly to keep Bobby out of trouble, but who am I to say?” He titled his head back, looking at Harvard with pleading eyes. “Can we move on now? There’s like a hundred people here already, I’m sure the rest can meet us as the party progresses.”

Harvard pushed him towards the inside of the house. “You just want a gin tonic.”

“And what if I do? I have my rights.” Harvard hummed, but Aiden didn’t hear it as the chatter and noise of a partying house drowned him out.

Turns out, Dante made some great drinks. They mingled around the kitchen island, which had been piled with bagged snacks and bottles of liquor, and spoke of recent fencing news, the best costumes they’d seen, and so on and so forth. Aiden was only half listening, tuned out to the world as he searched through the pile of snacks. He jumped slightly when Harvard put a hand on his shoulder.

“The others went to have a look around,” Aiden turned into Harvard’s touch. “What are you looking for?”

“I thought I had set some fruit out here earlier, but I can’t find any.” Aiden shrugged. He moved to the other edge of the counter, as Harvard tried his own hand at the pile. It was dangerously close to toppling over, Aiden noted.

“Ah,” Harvard turned around, a bowl of bright red cherries in hand. “Do these work?”

“I think someone brought those to, like, put on top of drinks.” Aiden snorted. “You know, like you would at an actual bar.”

“Who even uses a cherry garnish on the type of drinks we’re making here? I feel like these are too fancy for ginger ale and beer.” Harvard held up the small bowl. “And they’re the wrong kind, too.” Aiden hummed, arm shooting out before Harvard could accidentally move it out of reach. 

“Oh, I like them, they’re tasty.”

Aiden leaned over the kitchen counter, and stuck the cherry between his teeth, smiled, winked.  Harvard went rigid again, fingers slightly indenting the red solo cup he held in his other hand. Aiden felt his grin fall before he could try to remedy it. Maybe he’d gone too far this time. Harvard recovered, sticking out a hand to pull the cherry’s stem from the body.

“You know how easy it is to choke on those things?” He dropped the stem into a used empty cup that had been abandoned who-knows-when. Aiden’s face turned to a light scowl. This shit was ridiculous. Harvard looked at him. “What? I’m being helpful.”

Aiden bit down on the cherry, then pretended to spit the pit onto Harvard, who raised his hands in mock defense and laughed. He rounded the countertop and placed the pit in the same cup Harvard had put the stem in.

“I’m not gonna die of a tiny cherry, Harv, but sure, I’ll be more careful putting things in my mouth.” He grinned as Harvard shook his head, hand coming to rub at his eyes.

“Hilarious Kane, as always,” Harvard turned around, heading out of the kitchen. Aiden waited, wondering if it would be pathetic to still trial after his best friend. Harvard stopped in the entrance arch. “You coming? I was gonna see what the rest of the team was up to.”

Aiden looked up, and he couldn’t help one of those soft, uncontrollable smiles from forming on his lips. He pushed off the counter and headed after Harvard, cherries forgotten.

As they headed to the next room over, where someone had set up a beer pong table, a mass ran into them. Aiden sputtered, barely saving his costume from his drink as he was caught in a three-way hug.

“Eugene,” Harvard said, though he sounded strained. Aiden patted the back of his teammate. He struggled to call him friend at the moment. Anyone who dared ruin his costume couldn’t be a friend. Eugene pulled back, hands on Aiden and Harvard’s outmost shoulders. 

“Sorry, coming over here was a bit of a nightmare, and I had to make sure you two were real.” Eugene smiled sheepishly. “You guys look great! And thanks for hosting, man, this looks so cool.”

He looked around, and Aiden followed his gaze. It was pretty cool. The dim lighting and music floating throughout the house made it feel cozy in a way it hadn’t in a long time. His gaze locked back onto his friend, he’d been bumped back up to friend now, and looked over his costume. It was a simple, yet effective demon getup. Horns adorned the top of his head, a red shirt clung to his chest, which contrasted to black pants and a leather jacket. Aiden could admit he looked good. Before he could respond, Eugene leaned in to both of them.

“Quick question: why is Exton here of all rival schools? Did you really have to make us deal with Coste?” Aiden looked up at where Eugene was discreetly pointing. Jesse Coste stood in an angel costume that showed way too much skin to not be mocking holy figures. He was surrounded by his fencing team, Marcel passing him a cup full of something.

“I might’ve invited them here for some extra drama.” Eugene’s brow furrowed, Aiden shrugged. “What? My party, my thirst for gossip quenched. Maybe you should go over there and talk to them. Try not to break anything if a brawl breaks out.” 

Aiden watched as Eugene thought. He could hear the wheels spinning in his brain. “Well, we could challenge them to non-fencing competitions. You know, a chance to win off the piste, too.”

“You say that like we have a chance to win on the piste this year.” Eugene grinned, big and bright like he always did.

“Mindset, Aiden, that’s always the first step. You two with me?”

“I’d say yes, but,” Harvard gestured at something behind Eugene. “You aren’t the only one who thought of that.”

Aiden watched, curiously, as a blotch of incredibly blonde yellow hair made its way through the crowd. Eugene didn’t have time to turn around before a, perfectly manicured, if Aiden had any knowledge on the matter, hand grabbed his shoulder. Eugene gave one last panicked look before being taken away by Jesse Coste. Aiden shook his head. They would plan a nice funeral.

“Oh well, that ship’s sailed. Wanna go dancing?” He leaned his shoulder against Harvard, who seemed well in a state of shock. Aiden poked Harvard’s face until he had his attention back again. He grinned.

“I’m gonna be honest, I think I’m gonna have to look after ‘Gene and make sure he won’t be mysteriously murdered tonight. Wouldn’t you say Coste looks pissed?”

Aiden looked over. He did look pissed, but also embarrassed. Very much embarrassed. Aiden hummed.

“This just looks like a lovers quarrel, but fine. I’ll find someone else to provide me with an entertaining brawl. You could’ve been the perfect, strong man to protect me, Harv, but I see you have no interest in such a thing.”

Harvard raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “A shame, truly. It was nice knowing you.” Aiden rolled his eyes, but headed off anyway, singing to the tune of a song he liked, but couldn’t remember the name of. He moved to the living room, where a whole new world of people stood before him. His chest seized. He had important matters to tend to.

For example, his current crisis. Aiden wanted to die. Or, actually, he wanted to commit a murder, then die. Harvard was immune to sex appeal, he’d decided. Not even the cherry had been able to move him beyond shock. He was ready to give up. Maybe he could try again tomorrow, with an early morning glow? He groaned, head tilted into the wall. Could this night get any worse?

He didn’t really want to find out.

He ended up down a corridor, then into a secondary living room, and into another corridor. He found himself sliding into a large bedroom, hearing voices inside. He recognized it as one of the ones an ex wife had slept in when she had fought with his father. He also liked it because there was a quite beautiful walk-in closet. Say what you will about this house, Harvard, he thought, but you can’t deny luxury. 

The voices turned out to be of his team, thankfully. Nicholas, Seiji, Bobby and Dante sat in a circle, a few others mingling with them. They seemed to be arguing over something. Aiden sauntered over.

“What’s going on here?” Aiden meant to ask sincerely, but Seiji nearly hissed at him.

“I told you, Nicholas, we shouldn’t have taken up a room, it’s insanely disrespectful—”

Aiden waved a hand in the air. “Chill, dude. Jesus, you’re a handful. It’s fine for you to stay here. Actually, there’s a few other rooms I’d like to see defiled before tomorrow—”

“Aiden!” Bobby called, and Aiden looked back, and the kid looked nearly mad . He didn’t think Bobby could actually experience anger, but this was the closest he’d ever seen. “Do you think party games are stupid? Seiji won’t play anything. He keeps shooting down ideas.”

Ah, his expert opinion was needed. Noted, party game expert, added to his resume. “What game are we talking?”

“Seven minutes in heaven. Which is as asinine and dumb as games get—”

Aiden looked over at Nicholas. “How do you deal with this, like, all the time?”

Nicholas just shrugged. “He’s kind of nice when he’s asleep. But that’s it.” He turned to look at Seiji, who was glaring holes into the poor guy. “What? You’re a quiet sleeper, and sometimes I get home late and you’re already laying like a corpse.”

“You’re saying it’s nice to imagine me dead? I can’t believe they allow me to keep rooming with you.”

“I wouldn’t let anyone else endure the torture of rooming with—”

“Aiden!” Bobby called again. Aiden decided to sit down amongst the underclassmen. “Help us decide. Seven minutes in heaven or spin the bottle.”

“Spin the bottle is a little too juvenile, don’t you think?” Aiden shrugged, crossing his legs. He leaned back against the small couch they were sitting in front of. “Seven minutes can really get the drama started.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “And it’s so totally sexy, being enclosed in a small space like that. Not that any of you would know.”

A beat of silence, then, Seiji: “Is it possible to win at this game?”

“Sure, you know what,” Aiden pinched the bridge of his nose. “You can win by,” he looked around, thinking. “Having the best makeout session. Or something.”

“And how would we calculate the best makeout session?” Aiden could’ve died at that moment, happy to be relieved of Seiji Katayama once and for all.

“Have you ever even kissed anyone? Maybe we should start there—”

“Of course I’ve kissed people.” Aiden raised an eyebrow. Seiji huffed, and crossed his arms. He was lucky that white mask was hiding half of his blush.  

“Alright, then, you guys can get at it, become the best seven-minutes-in-heaven-player of all time. Give scientific makeout scores. I’m sitting this one out, Bobby.” He let the circle close in around him, still giving him plenty of room to see the happenings. Their small friend looked delighted at the turn of events. Aiden could admire Bobby’s insistence on teenage cliches. 

“Okay, everyone! Here’s how it goes,” Aiden laid back to watch the stories unfold.

Harvard watched his friend slink off into the crowd, with a grin as he sang, “I’m a freak bitch, baby!” in time with the song. 

Harvard wanted to follow him, but he knew how bad of an idea it was to follow Aiden Kane on a drunken dance floor. Harvard wouldn’t take his inappropriate baggage and feelings about his best friend somewhere he went for pure fun. He could, at the very least, do that.

So, instead, he looked back at Eugene, who had survived, unscathed, and uncrossed his arms. “What did you tell him?”

“Just that we’re gonna kick his ass at beer bong. You good to go find Kally and Tanner?”

Harvard gave a two fingered salute. “Consider it done. You’d make a great captain, Gene.”

Eugene shrugged. “It’s just practice from having four siblings– which means three insane brothers and a murderous sister.”

Harvard smiled softly, because wasn’t that sweet? He nodded and headed off to find Kally and Tanner, who were in a corner speaking with some rival school students. Harvard grabbed their non-drink-holding hands.

“Beer pong! We have an intense match with Exton here.” Kally and Tanner looked puzzled, but followed without much question. Harvard still held some aspect of captain even in this context, he supposed.

They won the match. Which was, in of itself, an accomplishment. The bigger accomplishment was keeping Tanner from jumping on Jesse to rip him apart at an offhand comment about Kally’s inaccurate ping-pong ball throwing skills. Tanner did not kid around about Kally. Harvard found it to be really sweet, if sometimes dangerous.

However, Jesse wasn’t happy with the outcome, which meant, for poor Eugene, that he was sequestered for another game. Harvard decided it couldn’t be much more dangerous without him there, so he let Eugene mix everyone a drink before leaving, as though it was a last hurrah to Eugene’s adventurous departure, and followed Tanner and Kally into a living room.

Tanner dove for an empty spot on the couch, which left little space for the other two. Kally sat down in the juncture of the armrest and Tanner’s head. Harvard decided the rug at the foot of the couch was clean enough. 

“Where’s Aiden? He kind of disappeared, didn’t he?” Kally scanned the room, and the openings to the other rooms, but seemed displeased.

“He’s probably dancing, or causing some poor couple to break up. Or he’s hooking up with someone, or, I don’t know.” Harvard shrugged off the robe. He felt stupid without matching. He set the hat down too. “He knows how to take care of himself, you know?”

“Well, yeah, but you guys are generally always together, and you’re the one who’s always kinda worried .” Tanner nodded, agreeing.

“I just, I don’t know,” Harvard sighed. “It’s just that I want to keep him safe from everything. I want to be there for him every second of every day. I don’t know. Isn’t that just normal best friend behavior?”

Tanner rubbed at his temple. “Just?”

Kally pursed his lips. “Well, it’s normal to be worried about your partner. You know each other more intimately than anyone else, you’d want to be sure he’s okay all the time.” He nodded. “You know, like soulmates.”

Tanner turned to him. “But that’s just kind of normal when you’re in love with someone. Especially if you’ve known them for that long.”

Kally nodded, considering. “Yeah, well, but maybe you’ve been in love so long that it's kind of indistinguishable from just wanting to be near one another.”

They looked down at where Harvard was sitting. As though they hadn’t shattered his entire life, right there, in three sentences.

“Harvard?” Kally asked. The man in question gave a strangled sound, mouth agape. “You do know you’re in love with Aiden, right?”

“No!” Harvard gestured wildly. Or as wild as he could with a cup in hand. “What do you mean?”

“Well, we just thought…” Kally looked to Tanner for help. Tanner looked clueless. “Well, you’re always together, and each of you has expressions that are only given to the other, you know?”

Tanner nodded eagerly. “And you’re the only one who can convince Aiden to actually do things he doesn’t really want to do. Or pretends he doesn’t want to do.”

“Plus, uh,” Kally swirled a hand in Harvard’s direction. “The whole sleeping together thing?”

Harvard jolted. “What? We’ve never slept together.” 

“I meant pushing-the-beds-together thing. And cuddling thing. And sleeping-with-a-gift-from-you-every-night thing? The teddy bear?”

Harvard groaned, hiding his face in a pillow. The leather dug into his cheeks. 

“So, like, you’re not aware you’re in love with Aiden? Are you sure?” Tanner tapped his knee. “Like that Aiden Kane? And you haven’t been this whole time?”

Harvard groaned. “No! I mean, yes? I wasn’t aware until two minutes ago, guys,” He cringed at himself. Years and years of built up memories came back to him. Oh, god. “Is that even possible? To not realize?”

Harvard, too busy having a crisis, failed to notice the look of concern his two friends gave one another. Kally gently tapped his shoulder.

“Listen, Cap, why did you think Aiden chose that costume?”

“Well, that’s just his taste.” He raised a finger, to accentuate his point. “And he has every right to do so without being slut-shamed or– or being harassed—“

“Okay,” Kally nodded empathetically. “Let’s try– why do you think he made you two match?”

“Because we’re hosts? That seems kind of obvious– oh.” Harvard blinked, then looked down where his robe was carefully folded at his feet. “You think,” he bit the inside of his cheek. “He was trying to make a statement?”

“When is Aiden not trying to make a statement?” Nicholas’s voice floated over the sofa. Harvard’s eyes widened, hoping he hadn’t heard much of the conversation. He couldn’t even explain it to himself yet. Yet, Nicholas just shrugged. “He lives his life as a statement– be cool, don’t show weakness, blah, blah.”

Harvard pursed his lips. Before he could respond. Nicholas caught something out of the corner of his eye. “Oh! There he is, excuse me—“ and he was gone to the wind, after a dark shadow.

Harvard looked down at his hands, and really wished he hadn’t let Eugene mix his last rum and coke. There had been way more rum than coke in that cup. Kally tapped his shoulder again.

“Yeah, well, and all the other statements too,” He smiled. “You know, all the dating to not have to focus on you. Don’t you remember his reaction to finding out you liked men?”

Tanner nodded along. “Or when he came to the only match in the season because you said you’d be too sad without him there, that was also a pretty romantic thing to do.”

Harvard stared at the two of them in horror. “You think I’ve been missing out on clues this whole time? Cause I was too focused on trying not to let my own clues show?” Kally nodded sympathetically. Harvard groaned and let his head fall back onto the couch.

“It’s okay,” Tanner patted Harvard’s head. “It’s gonna be okay. Think about how long it took me and Kally to get together.”

Harvard looked up. “You’re dating?”

He was met with silence. Tanner opened his mouth to speak, but Kally shook his head, silencing him. “Don’t worry about it, Harvard, worry about yourself. You should speak with Aiden. After the realization hits, it only gets harder from there.”

Tanner nodded sagely. Harvard wanted to sink into the ground and become one with the carpet. Jesus, he thought. When did I start being this dramatic?

Jesus, Aiden thought. That was quite the reaction. 

Nicholas and Seiji had ended up being the third couple to be chosen to spend the fateful seven minutes in heaven. Aiden had thought it could go one of two ways: he’d have Dante break up the inevitable fistfight, like that one time in the gear closet, or one of them would have finally figured out their deep rooted desire to fuck one another. Aiden however did not believe either of them to be very emotionally intelligent, so he was betting on the first option. 

It turned out that Aiden’s preconceived notions had been wrong. Oh, so wrong, that when Bobby’s phone rang out the alarm tone, no one stepped out of the closet. They waited. A moan was heard. Aiden stood up, because as much as he found this amusing, he didn’t really feel like cleaning up a walk in closet of various bodily fluids. He shivered at the thought. 

His hand caught onto the door, and as he pulled it open, all he could do was raise an eyebrow. Seiji and Nicholas, pressed together, Seiji’s mask lost on the floor. They broke apart, staring at Aiden, both red. If it was from embarrassment or lack of air, Aiden couldn't tell. It was kind of stuffy in here.

“Seven minutes are over, you two. Kinda crazy it took that short of a time when you’ve been living together for months.” Seiji then climbed off of Nicholas, and refused to look Aiden in the eye as he pushed past him, rushing out of the room. Nicholas scrambled after him.

Aiden had turned back to the others and shrugged. “Did I say something weird? I am right, after all.” 

So, now they were here, quiet as a morning after, looking at each other rather awkwardly.

“Does anyone want to go dancing? I would really like to forget about this one.” It was a kid from their dorm that Aiden couldn’t remember the name of. Finn? Fred?

Bobby looked the most shaken. “Oh. Please. Dante?”

Aiden watched, curiously, as the tallest man at King’s Row scooped up the smallest man, and carried him to the door, letting him down gently. Interesting . Bobby tapped his nose.

“Ready for it?” Dante shook his head. No . Poor guy probably just got to look over a sea of drunk people instead of getting lost in the music. A sad life, in its own way. Bobby titled his head, but looked over at Aiden expectantly. 

Aiden waved a hand in the air. “I’ll follow right after you two lovebirds.”

He watched Bobby shrug, then drag Dante away down the hall, leading the way into the darkened hallway. Yet, Dante still managed to shoot him a glare that would’ve had anyone else clamoring in fear. Aiden winked back at him. 

Aiden really did follow after them, walking down the hall with all the grace he could master. He knew heels made his legs look good, but had he really needed to go with the louboutins? They were famously uncomfortable. He stopped by another one of the dozen rooms, and changed, as quickly as he could, into shorter, more manageable heels.

He checked in the mirror before he left. He still looked amazing, but he didn’t feel nearly as put together as he usually did. He hummed. Maybe he just had to find a random guy to kiss, that would help, right? But he knew the buzzing in his veins was something that required something stronger like, and he shivered at the thought, self reflection. He didn’t care much for self reflection. Last time he’d really done that, he’d understood fully the scope of his feelings for Harvard, and look where that had gotten him. Nowhere, if not farther down a hole of “being hopelessly in love with your best friend”. He shook his head, as if it would dislodge those thoughts from the place in his mind they had burrowed in. A sigh, and he turned on his heels, heading back out.

Aiden had a quite keen eye for seeking out the first hot guy his age he could find. And it wasn’t a hard endeavour. Eyes turned to him easily, which meant he could assess faces quickly. Eyes too big, too brown, he sneered, lips too full, too inviting, he turned around, hands too large, too soft, he rolled his eyes. Harvard Lee couldn’t leave him alone, not even on the bodies of others. He stopped looking, grabbed onto the arm of a passerby.

“You, me, dancefloor?” He didn’t listen for an answer. The body he took along with him didn’t seem to protest, though. He was still Aiden Kane after all. 

After some more sulking, Harvard told Kally and Tanner that he’d head out for some air, but really it was a last ditch effort to clear his head. He had mulled over their conversation for a while. He had always been comfortable saying he loved Aiden, because he did . He loved every aspect of him as a best friend, and it surprised him that to say he was in love with Aiden wasn’t very different either. Maybe Kally had been right. The line between friendship and whatever this was had been blurry for a long time.

He made his way through various crowds: board games spread across a table, with an intense round of monopoly, karaoke in the next room over, with a very dramatic performer, and a group of stoners in a kitchen, laughing about something. No head of silky hair or stormy green eyes or charming laugh to be seen or heard. He made for the porch that looked out onto the pool, and further out onto the forest. Harvard had always found it to be an uncomfortable sight; the looming threat of darkness onto an empty yard. Tonight, however, it was alive with figures in colorful costumes and glow-in-the-dark halloween decorations.

He shivered as he stepped onto the deck, and into another, albeit smaller, crowd. People in pairs and small groups spoke to each other in hushed tones. He looked over to the edge of the porch, where two figures kissed, one pushed against the railing. Harvard narrowed his eyes. He knew that haircut, but it seemed unlikely that Eugene would be making out with–

“Captain, hey,” Nicholas Cox walked into Harvard’s line of sight, covering up the scene behind him. It was probably for the best, anyways.

“Cox,” He smiled softly. “What was earlier about?” He saw his underclassman shift weight from one foot to the other, unable to remain still. Nicholas smiled sheepishly.

“It’s been a weird night. I was looking for Seiji,” At this, a flash of some other emotion spread across his face. Harvard couldn’t tell what it was. “I’m still looking for him.”

“Did something happen?”

“Yeah,” Nicholas sighed. “You could say that.”

They let the silence hang in the air, and Harvard looked out into the trees. 

“What would you do if…” Nicholas paused, took a breath. “If you found out you actually really like someone, but you might be too late to say anything about it?”

“Oh.” A beat. The leaves atop the forest trees swayed gently. “I’d tell them anyway. Maybe you’re wrong about the timing.”

“But what if it ruins what we already have? What if I lose what I’ve built with him?”

Harvard glanced back at Nicholas, and at the vacated railing spot behind him, and back at the trees. He smiled softly.

“If your bond is strong enough, which I suspect it is, you’ll be fine. You should go tell Seiji.”

“I’m not– this isn’t about him ,” Nicholas crossed his arms, huffed.

“Kind of seems like it is.” Nicholas raised his eyes to stare holes into him, but acquiesced, and deflated. Harvard smiled.

“At least that’s what I’d do, but it’s all up to you. I’m sure it’ll work out. Even if it takes time.” Nicholas scratched the back of his neck, still looking unsure.

“Thanks,” Harvard looked back out at the trees. With a myriad of choices before him, he remembered a passage they had read in school, about fig trees and possibilities and indecisiveness. Nicholas spoke up again.

“Where’s Aiden, anyways? I haven’t seen him since–” Nicholas stopped himself and blushed deeply. “You know what, I think I’m just gonna go look for Seiji now.”

Nicholas turned around, and headed back inside without another word. What was that about? Sometimes, Harvard thought the underclassmen were unusually weird. 

But, there was a good question. Where’s Aiden, anyways? It seemed everyone wanted to know. Harvard did too.

It was a little while later. Aiden didn’t really know. There were sensations all around him and the neon lights they had set up were burnt into his retinas. The thing was, he didn’t really care that much. Nothing was helping the myriad of thoughts in his head. Like a drug, he built an immunity to distractions through years of use. 

The lucky guy he’d dragged here was pressed into him, a welcome grounding feeling. Except it really wasn’t. Every time he closed his eyes, there stood the antithesis to the man in front of him. The truth was Aiden wasn’t a very good person. He did things to his advantage and was mean and liked to get a rise out of people and knew exactly how to get what he wanted. Yet, he also knew it was a well-constructed front that allowed him a separation from the rest of the world. If he kept the kid that was shy and scared deep down somewhere, then no one could get to him.

Except the one person that had met him, offered him a hand, a friendship, and a world of their own to store all those fears and insecurities in. If only Harvard would figure out the key he was handed. And maybe he was to blame for that, too, because the walls of that front had closed across Harvard’s border a bit too. Ugh, I can’t believe I’m being so poetic about this. He quite hated pretentious poetry, surprisingly.

He smiled at his date, wrapping his arms around his neck. The guy was speaking, but he wasn’t listening. He was looking over his shoulder, observing. A girl lost herself in the arms of another, a couple was fighting a few feet to his right. Someone carried three cups and spilled one of them. People lingered outside the dancefloor, which had been set up in the house’s basement, shuffling awkwardly or leaned up against the stark walls. A few people were picked up by their friends, and whisked away. Others remained, like he was, observing.

He turned around, tactfully, to try and see the other end of the dance floor. Hands twitched at his sides approvingly, and he was well on his way to shove them away, until he saw a known silhouette.

Aiden caught Harvard’s eyes as he stood a few feet away from him, lingering at the edges of the crowd. He knew that look. He’s seen it often, but hadn’t dreamt of seeing it on Harvard's face. Or he had, but only late at night, when he could afford dumb hope. He knew he looked good, as he worked extremely hard to move in alluring and effortless ways, to capture attention and retain it. Now, he couldn’t care less about impressing anyone other than who stood across from him.

He pushed away from the man he’d been dancing with, who protested— but who cared? Harvard Lee was right there, a short walk away, and there was a hunger clear as day in his eyes. Maybe he didn’t even realize it. Aiden had one chance, it seemed. 

He emerged easily, as people tended to naturally part for him, one of his honed social skills was to ask without words, and grasped Harvard’s arm. 

“Aiden—“

“Dance with me.” He looked up at Harvard, then straightened. The heels made him slightly shorter, which meant he was looking up into Harvard’s eyes. He always felt small whenever their gazes met. Harvard looked so earnestly, so open, at all times, and Aiden wanted to have that look focused on him for the rest of his life. No one else should be seen by Harvard Lee like he was. How stupid it is to hope, a voice in his head screamed. You can’t afford to fuck this up, Kane. Do this right. Do him right.

The voice disappeared as Harvard grinned. “Lead the way.”

Aiden grinned right back and took off, hand having slipped from Harvard’s arm to his warm hand. Absent-mindedly, because he already knew this from when they were kids, their hands slotted together perfectly. It made hand holding very convenient and comfortable.

The sea of people parted for him once more, and soon they were both pressed in the middle of sweaty, drunk bodies. Aiden didn’t really care for the rest of the people there. He just wanted Harvard and music to quell the fluttering beat of his heart. Harvard could fix any of his maladies. Harvard could touch him and mould him to anything he wanted. 

But Harvard would never do that. He was so kind, and Aiden wanted to be selfish and spiteful and keep that kindness to himself. Instead he turned to his best friend and danced, shaking him loose of whatever rigidness had plagued him all night. 

Music pulsed through his veins, mixed with a few too many degrees of alcohol, and he grabbed onto Harvard’s forearms and lent forwards to speak into his ear.

“Where did you go?”

“I had to,” Harvard paused. He moved to the side as a boy from their year stumbled into their space. He gently guided Aiden away with him, with a feather-light hand on his waist. It felt like a lightning strike, coursing through Aiden’s body. He was so, so, horrendously fucked. “I was trying to figure some things out.”

Aiden stilled, or as much as he could in the crowd. Did Harvard know? Had he been so obvious in his pursuit that he had forgotten the most important part? Never be too eager, never show your weakness. He thought Harvard was just oblivious, but this, this was a worse reality than that. 

Harvard knew, and didn’t care.

Aiden, in, he hated to think, a moment of panic, resorted to what he knew best: fake it ‘till you make it. He looped an arm around Harvard’s neck, and brought him close, like they’d done hundreds of times as children when they needed to be with each other, and without the world around them. But in this context, where music overpowered any possible conversation, he leaned closer, enough to speak near Harvard’s ear.

“Can your lovely thoughts wait until the morning? I have an awful need to, ah” he hummed, melodic. “Dance the night away.”

He could have one night of hope, he’d decided. Let the current of the party sweep him away to make awful decisions. Harvard didn’t respond, just tightened his grip on Aiden’s waist the tiniest, tiniest bit. But Aiden felt it, and knew he’d slipped into a crack, like water breaking a stone apart. 

Harvard was kind of disoriented. Not in the way he was when he had a fever, or when he couldn’t focus on the words on a page, but the way he was when Aiden was reading on his bed, hair falling over his face. Or the way he was when Aiden sat on his desk, feet on the chair, scrolling through his phone. Or the way he was when Aiden let his guard down, staring softly at something, because he knew Harvard would be the only one to see him in this way. 

That’s how he felt right now, except he was kind of in the middle of a huge party, dancing with his best friend like they were more than that. The thing was, he had never really done this. Aiden had dragged him clubbing a few times, but he mostly spent the evening chatting away and watching from afar. He just didn’t feel all that coordinated on his feet to risk a disaster of sticky drinks and sticky floors in front of a whole club. 

So Aiden guided him through the motions, through feeling the bass of a song and moving his hips and arms and torso along. His hands fretted, then slowed, squeezing at biceps and shaking hips loose. Harvard wasn’t sure how he’d done it, but he was actually enjoying himself. Aiden laughed in his ear, bright and beautiful, when they accidentally stumbled to the left, but Harvard caught him, and he wanted to do that forever. Catch Aiden any which way he fell.

He also begged himself to ignore the sparks of electricity that ran across his skin wherever Aiden touched him, but it was becoming increasingly harder. Aiden was pressed so close, he could feel the rise and fall of his chest as they danced. Harvard tried to keep his hands as steady on his hips as possible, but it was hard to keep his hands anywhere when he wanted to touch all of him.

With expert balance, really, Aiden turned around, hand snaking its way up to the back of Harvard’s head, blunt nails scratching lightly at his nape. Harvard felt a gravity, that wasn’t earth’s, but something new entirely, entirely Aiden, pull him down to fit his face into Aiden’s neck. He could smell the cologne he’d watched him spray on earlier that day, and he could feel the warmth of Aiden’s bare skin. Without thought, or planning, he pressed his lips to Aiden’s pulse, in a close-mouthed kiss. In the back of his mind, he briefly thought whether he should be doing this, if Aiden wanted something like this, but the man beneath him went pliant, and stretched his neck further, and Harvard could feel the pulse beneath his lips quickening. He smiled, softly. It made no sense at all, but his head spun and he could stay here forever.

Aiden’s hair stuck to his neck with sweat, and Harvard gently moved it out of the way. He kissed up and down his throat, while they rocked to some pop song or another. He nuzzled into Aiden’s jaw. The curve of his ass pushed back into him, and Harvard let his hands be guided further down Aiden’s hips, where the costume didn’t cover. One of his fingers tangled under the fishnets, and he felt Aiden’s hand cover his own. 

They swayed like that, Aiden writhing, Harvard holding onto him, beat to beat with the music. Aiden laughed and sang in Harvard’s ear, and Harvard laughed and sang right back. There was a fire in his gut he couldn’t quell. He had the urge to hide away in one of the dozen bedrooms of this godforsaken house and let Aiden have his way with him. He’d let him do anything he wanted. The world could die out and they’d be safe and sound. He pressed closer.

Aiden didn’t know how long they’d been doing this, but he knew nothing could ever compare again. He was an idiot. He shouldn’t have let himself have a taste of this. He couldn’t bare to think of what would happen when he couldn’t feel Harvard press kisses into his skin. So, he didn’t. He let himself get lost in it.

He swung his hips, hands sneaking to Harvard’s back to push him closer. He arched his back as he felt Harvard’s hands come to rest over his abdomen and stomach. He hadn’t realized that he was cold until Harvard was warming him up, clutched in strong and safe arms. He shivered, and let his head fall back against Harvard’s shoulder. He let his eyes fall closed as he took in the myriad of sensations around him. He let out the smallest gasp as Harvard moved them out of the way, as another person stumbled to the wrong side and into them. His fingers curled around Aiden’s waist, stronger and more secure than they had earlier, and Aiden hummed appreciatively. It was all in succession, blurring together. Heaven. Weird, how’d he get here?

“Aiden,” It was said in a low tone, against his ear. He shivered, again. “Aiden.”

“Yeah?” He turned just enough for his nose to brush against Harvard’s.

“I think we should go sit down. I really think we should talk.”

“I think,” He pushed back against Harvard, and heard a sharp inhale. He smirked. “We should stay here. And keep doing this. Continuously.”

“I’d like to.” A moment of weakness. Harvard kissed his neck again. “But I really need to tell you something. It’s really important, Aiden.”

And the truth was, though Aiden could live in a fantasy where he was fully in control of his emotions, in the end he would do anything Harvard told him to do. Especially if he said his name like that. He turned back around, resting his hands on Harvard’s chest. He realized they had stopped moving, and were standing still in the middle of all these people. Suddenly, he wanted to bolt. 

He didn’t. He let Harvard lead him by a hand through the sea of people, and they were soon in one of the hallways of the house. It felt a dozen times quieter, so quiet Aiden could feel the beat of his heart.

“We should– here.” Harvard headed down the corridor, hand still holding his, until he found an empty room. “I just wanted some privacy.”

Aiden felt the strangest deja vu as he stepped inside. Dozens of dreams and imagined scenarios were always much more passionate than this quiet, strategic entrance. Harvard stepped around him, and closed the door. Aiden leaned back against it, arms crossed, as Harvard made his way across the room. He sat on the edge of the bed, and they faced each other. Moonlight shone in through the large windows, and it cast Harvard’s face in delicate shadows. Aiden wanted to kiss every juncture of light and dark.

Aiden wanted to cross the sea that stood between them, but he suppressed that urge and waited as Harvard wrung his hands. He looked nervous, which didn’t suit him at all. Aiden frowned.

“Harvard?” Their eyes met, and Aiden bristled against the door.

“Aiden, I–” Harvard winced. “I’m sorry.” Aiden’s heart dropped through the floor, and into hell, probably. “I’m,” He cleared his throat. Was it that bad? Was being loved by Aiden Kane a source of such turmoil? “I’ve been thinking a lot about us, lately—”

“No, it’s fine.”

Aiden breathed shakily. Harvard had been the only person to really see him cry over the years. He would never forgive himself if he cried, right there. He had prepared for this over the years, he’d known. Harvard looked at him confused, and maybe even hurt.

But Aiden already knew how this conversation would go, had imagined it a thousand times, so he’d spare them both the trouble. He didn’t need to hear Harvard say the words. He didn’t want to know what it was like to be rejected by the love of your life, not in quotations, at least. 

“I understand.” Aiden looked out the window and bit his lip as he paused. He saw a few figures make their way to the woods. Lucky them. Like all difficult conversations, he had the urge to run settled deeply into his bones. He stayed put. “I didn’t mean to impose my feelings on our friendship. I know—”

“What?”

“—my behavior tonight was inappropriate, and we can just never speak of it again—”

“Wait—”

“—we’ve known each other for so long, I get that it’s weird and even kinda creepy—”

“Aiden—”

“—and I’m not expecting you to return them, or that things won’t change between us—”

“What? What are you talking about?” Aiden jolted at the authority in Harvard’s voice, and dragged his eyes back to him. He couldn’t deal with the disgust he’d find there. He stared at the floor between them.

“You know, the fact that I’m in love with you? That I’ve been in love with you since the day I met you?” Aiden shrugged. “You know, that whole shitshow?”

“Aiden, look at me,” and Aiden did, because he’d do anything Harvard asked. Harvard’s eyes were the darkest and most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

Aiden watched. Harvard spoke.

“I'm in love with you.” What?

“What?”

“Aiden, I’m so sorry, I only realized recently, and by recently I mean tonight, and it’s been insane but Kally and Tanner helped me and—”

Aiden took a step forward. “Harvard?” Dark eyes on his, inviting lips, dark red cheeks, hands mid gesture. “Shut up now.”

Aiden crossed the space between them, climbed onto Harvard’s lap, and kissed him. Later, Aiden would recall the event, and Harvard would joke to their friends about it. Aiden would say well, someone had to, I could’ve gone insane, and Harvard would smile fondly at him, and they’d get to do it all over again night after night.

For now, Aiden swallowed Harvard’s sound of surprise, grasping at his hands and placing them on his waist. He’d lead Harvard to ruin him by the hand. He wanted to. He swallowed the sound of pleasure that Harvard made, too, and then teethed at his bottom lip, because he wasn’t satisfied. Harvard gasped, and Aiden swiped his tongue into his mouth. He titled his head, and felt his bunny ears fall and tumble somewhere, but he pressed closer, and he couldn’t get enough of the stupidest man to ever live.

They broke for air. “You’re the stupidest man that’s ever lived. I love you. I’m in love with you.” Aiden grinned, then rocked down into Harvard’s lap. Another strangled noise.

“It’s not my fault you always seemed to be interested in other guys,” Harvard smiled too. “What was I supposed to assume? That it was all a giant plan?”

Aiden nodded, leaning his arms on Harvard’s shoulders and crossing his wrists. “Yes. Every stupid valentine and postcard I ever sent you,” He kissed Harvard’s lips. “And every single choice, that I only made because it was you proposing it, that made us room at King’s Row,” He kissed Harvard’s jaw. “And every fucking time I tried to tell you without words.” He nipped at Harvard’s ear, which made him jump.

“Yeah,” Harvard breathed. “I am the stupidest man alive.”

Aiden pulled back to see Harvard at the most disheveled he’d ever seen, beneath him, holding him tight and whispering he’d been too stupid to notice his best friend being in love with him for a decade. He wanted to die in these arms. Maybe he was already dead, who knew? Once again, heaven.

“You are. But you’re also the best person I know, and the kindest, and the bravest, and the best friend I could ever ask for. And I’m in love with you,” Saying those words, Aiden figured, must be a drug. He’d live off of saying them to Harvard’s face. “So it all cancels out.”

Harvard laughed, and then he leaned back in and stole Aiden’s breath with a kiss, and a fire settled in Aiden’s gut.

“So all the guys were a ruse?”

“It was always you,” Aiden mused. “You were always on my mind, even with them.”

Harvard kissed him again, and again, and again. Aiden pushed his hands to wonder, over thighs, over arms, over shoulders and chests. Aiden’s own hands wandered, too, to forearms, to abdomens, to backs, to softly defined muscles.

“You could’ve been doing this,” Aiden said, as Harvard’s mouth trailed from his lips to his jaw and now down his throat. One hand back at the dip of his waist moved slightly lower to tease under the teddy corset. “All this time. You could’ve kissed me at any point and I would’ve said yes.”

Harvard spoke into the dip of Aiden’s collarbone. “You’re right, you’re right,” He kissed it. “You’re right.”

“I know,” Aiden let out a, well, frankly, embarrassing sound at Harvard kissing his Adam’s apple. He didn’t care. His hand went to the back of Harvard’s head on its own. He dragged him back into a kiss, tongue to tongue and teeth to teeth. Their noses were uncomfortably squashed against one another, but he didn’t care. Harvard pushed a hand through his hair and Aiden gasped at the slightest tug in the slightest knot. Well, he thought, and it was quite an effort to do so, I’d let Harvard mess the hair up too, along with my whole being.

They broke apart for air, where Harvard spoke again, and Aiden felt it echo in his veins. He was so close, and so warm. “We should stop.” Aiden whined. Oh, god. “We’ve both had a lot to drink and– and I just want to do it right.”

Aiden tilted his head down at Harvard. It was unusual for him to be looking down at him. He’d still do it forever, until his neck broke. He gave the most serious look he could muster. “Harvard, I don’t think you understand how many years I’ve waited for you to break me.”

Harvard blushed, again, and Aiden thought it was adorable. They had spoken of sex dozens of times. They’d known each other since they were five , and this was the tipping point? Aiden wanted to draw that look of shyness out of him for the rest of time. “Okay, don’t get me wrong, me too,” Harvard sighed, and drew Aiden closer.

“But that’s exactly why I want to do it right. I want to remember every detail. And I know you do too.”

Aiden bit his bottom lip. He thought of soft sheets, and beds the two of them belonged to, pressed together. Harvard would look so nice in a bed Aiden felt wanted in. 

And Harvard had asked something of him. There was no question as to what he would do about that anyway. Aiden pressed his forehead to Harvard’s.

“Fine,” He huffed, in a way that made Harvard laugh, quiet and out of breath. “But I get to tease you all night, and you can’t complain.”

“I wouldn’t.” Harvard smiled, sweet and light. Aiden could melt in his arms. He cupped his jaw, and brushed their lips together.

“And you have to kiss me all night too, so why aren’t you doing that?”

Harvard grinned, and pressed back up into Aiden. They spent the rest of the night with tangled limbs, lips on each other, and they laughed and reminisced and Aiden told Harvard of all the moments he’d let himself hope, and Harvard told Aiden all the moments he had been right to. Aiden told him of every dream, and every imaginary scenario, and Harvard told him of his hyperawareness of Aiden’s movements, Aiden’s expressions, Aiden’s everything. His head swam, but alcohol was far from the cause. 

He slept only partially, fading in and out of consciousness, but he always found himself touching Harvard in some way. A hand on his thigh, fingers around a bicep, lips to a shoulder. They had always slept tangled up, since they were children, but when they entered puberty he’d come to fear overstepping boundaries, and they had slowly drifted to only hand holding. It felt freeing, to feel Harvard everywhere.

The morning light was the softest it had ever been over Harvard’s skin, and for the first time, Aiden woke up before him. He kissed Harvard’s temple, then his cheeks, his nose, his eyelids, and on and on and on.

It all felt like a dream.

“Morning.” Harvard’s voice was soft and gravely this early, and though Aiden had heard it hundreds of times, it felt all new and special in light of recent events.

Aiden kissed him. “Morning, my beautiful boyfriend.”

Harvard hummed, and kissed him again. “You’re the beautiful boyfriend, if anything.”

“You underestimate yourself.” Aiden leaned back in, and they kissed, and kissed, and Harvard rolled them over so that he could hold himself up on either side of Aiden’s head. He looked down at Aiden’s costume, which he was still wearing, if not a little skewed.

“Aren’t you uncomfortable in that thing?” Aiden smirked: now, there’s an opening.

“So eager to pull it off me, Captain?”

“We are not making that a sex thing, oh my god.” Harvard let his forehead drop to Aiden’s shoulder. “I can’t develop a pavlovian response to that.”

Aiden scratched at Harvard’s nape, who made a sound of approval. “Boring. We could have so much fun with that.”

“Correction, you would have so much fun with that. I have integrity and a good reputation to uphold.” They smiled at each other. Aiden picked at Harvard’s shirt, which now showed evidence of the night before in its wrinkles.

“But you do want to take this off me, no?” He trailed a finger down Harvard’s clothed arm. “We don’t have to do anything, I’m just throwing ideas out right now.”

Harvard leaned down to kiss him, deeply and with intent. Aiden let his hands wander down his chest and down his sides, then up along his back. He gasped as Harvard kissed once again down to his neck. The sensation was somehow new and profound and made Aiden feel a dozen different new things at once. Harvard could probably feel it, too, as he smiled into Aiden’s collarbone.

As Harvard’s fingers once again teased at the edge of his costume, just under the fabric, the door to the bedroom opened.

“Well, there’s only so many rooms they could– oh!” Harvard leaned to the side, and Aiden saw Bobby’s look of surprise. Dante stood next to him, once more expressionless. “We’re so sorry! We just– we have to clean up and everyone else is up already and we couldn’t find you two—”

Aiden groaned as Harvard sat up and smiled. “No worries, we’ll be with the rest of you soon.”

Aiden waved a hand in the air, turning into the mattress. “You are all fired. I’m never having you guys sleep over again.” 

He felt more than saw Harvard’s eye roll. “Forget him, he’s being dramatic.”

“Alright!” Bobby, cheerful as ever, moved to close the door, but he stopped. “And I’m happy for you two. See ya now!”

The door closed with a slam, but Aiden just rolled over into Harvard. Staring up at him, he presented his best pleading eyes. Harvard smiled back at him.

“I don’t think they’ll miss us for another five minutes, though.”

Aiden grinned as Harvard leaned down to meet him. “Oh, how I love being a bad influence on you.”

Harvard stopped, just a breath away, and his smile spread wider. “I love you too.”

The rest of the King’s Row fencing team ended up waiting a while longer than five minutes on them, but no one dared comment. Well, Nicholas almost did, but Seiji hit him upside the head before he could.