Tangled Threads

Jay's POV:

I woke up, only to find Aidan sitting silently, staring at the wall as if it held the answers to his thoughts.

It scared me Aidan, the sunshine of our friendship, looking so lost. I wasn't used to this version of him, and honestly, I didn't know how to handle it. But then, something clicked in my mind. That brat! He played me the other day, leaving me in an awkward mess with Sissel. I smirked. "Aidan, you're so dead."

Aidan's POV:

I was drowning in my own head until Jay's sudden scream snapped me back to reality. I flinched, not realizing he was even awake. Now, panic set in there was no escape, nowhere to hide. My best bet? Play it cool and pray for mercy. "It was with good intentions, I swear! And don't act like you didn't enjoy it." Words flew out of me before I could stop them classic me.

After what felt like 15 minutes of chaos, dodging Jay's attempts to kill me, we collapsed on the floor, breathless and laughing.

"I did like it… but I was stressed, you idiot."

Hold up was Jay finally admitting it? "Excuse me, am I hearing this right? Do you have a crush on her?"

Next thing I knew, my arm stung that crazy guy smacked me hard.

"Ouch! You can't just hit me like that!"

"Of course, I can. Now shut up."

Despite the violence, I smiled. He wasn't ready to say it out loud, but he was getting there and that was enough progress for someone like Jay. No complaints.

Jacob's POV:

I'm exhausted mentally, physically, emotionally. Life has been cruel lately, and now I need to pull off another part-time shift just to afford basic necessities. My final stop for the day: the café. I just hoped it wouldn't be a disaster.

Walking in, I saw Jay cleaning up in the back cold expression as usual, but there's something about him that feels familiar. Maybe it's the way we both carry our own silent wars. Still, it's nice to have him around feels like I can finally talk to someone. I nodded at him and another coworker. Both greeted me back, their voices as dead as mine.

Thirty minutes in, I was already lightheaded. Sleep deprivation was finally catching up. Everything blurred the café, the people, the noise until blackness swallowed me whole.

Jay's POV:

After the chaos at home, I had to drag myself to practice leaving Aidan with a marathon of movies to keep him from spiraling into thoughts of Diana. Boxing was my escape, always.

Three hours later, I clocked in at the café, the usual routine settling in. Jacob walked in late, looking worse than yesterday. Pale, tired… he was definitely sick. I figured I'd check on him after I finished cleaning.

Suddenly, a loud crash shattered the silence. I turned and saw Jacob collapsed on the floor unconscious. Panic hit hard. I'd never dealt with something like this, but instincts kicked in. I rushed over, slapping his face gently, then pouring cold water on him.

After endless minutes, his eyes fluttered open. He looked like hell, but at least he was conscious. "Are you okay?" It was a dumb question, but what else could I say? He gave me a weak nod, barely hanging on.

Screw this. I told the manager I was taking him home. Luckily, it was a slow day, so he didn't argue. Jacob, of course, tried to protest. "I can go home by myself, Jay. Thanks, though."

Was he serious? The guy could barely stand. "Not happening, bro. Where do you live?"

Jacob's POV:

Waking up to Jay throwing cold water on me was… embarrassing. I passed out at work. Great. Still dizzy, I couldn't even argue when Jay took over. The manager let me off, and Jay insisted on taking me home no way out of it.

I gave him my address. Once we got to my tiny studio, Jay looked around, his face falling. "I didn't know you lived alone… sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"I don't know… I just am. Anyway, lie down, eat something, and sleep. You look like a ghost."

I chuckled weakly. He wasn't wrong I felt like a ghost too. Jay stayed for a bit, fussing over me, then promised to check in tomorrow. Funny how I thought I'd be the one supporting him turns out, he's the one keeping me afloat.

Jay's POV:

Seeing Jacob like that broke me. He always seemed so carefree, but his reality was worse than I imagined. A tiny studio in a rough part of the city… no family, no one. Just surviving.

I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know this I'm going to be there for Jacob. He won't fight this battle alone anymore.