The bar was alive with flickering lights and low, pulsing music. Laughter, chatter, and the occasional burst of shouting blended together into an unfiltered hum of noise.
Keller tucked a tray under his arm, weaving through the crowd as he cleared empty glasses and bottles. He exchanged tired but polite smiles with customers and moved back to the bar counter, wiping away spilled drinks with practiced ease.
"Isn't that your classmate over there?" Emil, his coworker, nodded toward a corner booth.
Keller froze briefly, his grip on the glass tightening slightly. In the dim light, he spotted Aiden surrounded by a group of sharply dressed guys, their laughter loud and obnoxious. Aiden sat among them, his usually cold expression softened by intoxication, his sharp gray-blue eyes hazy and unfocused.
Keller instinctively ducked his head, pretending he hadn't noticed.
But one of the guys, a silver-haired man with a smug grin, spotted him. He crooked a finger, gesturing Keller over like he was calling for a pet.
"Hey, you! Come here, little waiter!"
Keller hesitated, his shoulders stiffening as his fingers gripped the edge of the tray. After a moment, he let out a quiet sigh and walked over, his face carefully blank.
"Is there something I can get for you, gentlemen?" he asked evenly.
The silver-haired guy leaned one elbow against the table, his grin widening as he raked his eyes over Keller. "You're one of the servers here? Not bad, kid. You look… entertaining."
Aiden lifted his head slightly at that, his glassy eyes locking onto Keller.
The silver-haired guy's smirk grew more pronounced. "How about you join us for a drink, hmm?"
Keller shook his head calmly. "Sorry, I'm working."
"Working?" Another guy with a gold chain snorted, reaching out to tug on Keller's apron. "C'mon, just one drink. We'll make it worth your time."
Keller instinctively took a step back, only to have the silver-haired man block his retreat.
"Don't be so cold, sweetheart," he said with a low chuckle.
Suddenly, Aiden stood up. His movement was sharp, clumsy, and loud enough to knock over one of the bottles on the table. The glass shattered on the floor, but Aiden didn't flinch. He swayed slightly on his feet, his narrowed eyes locked onto the silver-haired man.
"Don't touch him," Aiden said, his voice low and cutting despite the slur in his words.
The silver-haired guy raised his brows in mock surprise. "Oh, Aiden, are you—what is this? Protecting your little crush?"
The gold-chain guy snorted with laughter, shoving Aiden lightly on the shoulder. "What's the matter, man? You drunk or just playing hero?"
Before anyone could react, Aiden's fist connected squarely with the gold-chain guy's face.
"Jesus! Are you crazy?!" the guy yelled, stumbling backward, one hand clutching his jaw.
The silver-haired man's smirk vanished instantly. "What the hell, Aiden? Are you serious right now?"
Aiden stood there, his shoulders heaving, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. His gray-blue eyes glared at the group, cold and unyielding.
The silver-haired man cursed under his breath before gesturing sharply to the others. "Forget it. We're leaving."
As they walked away, the gold-chain guy shot Keller one last venomous glare, muttering something under his breath before disappearing into the crowd.
The bar's noise gradually returned to its chaotic hum.
Aiden stood frozen in place, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his fists still trembling at his sides.
Keller sighed softly, stepping closer to him. "Come on, Aiden. Let's get you out of here."
Aiden's head drooped slightly as Keller reached out and draped one of Aiden's arms over his shoulder. The weight of him was heavier than Keller expected, and the two of them staggered toward the exit.
The night air was sharp and cold, cutting through Keller's thin shirt as he half-dragged, half-supported Aiden down the quiet street. Streetlights cast long shadows in front of them, stretching their figures over the cracked pavement.
"Where do you live, Aiden?" Keller asked softly, glancing sideways at him.
Aiden didn't answer. His head hung low, his steps uneven and heavy. Every now and then, he mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath.
Keller sighed again, adjusting his grip around Aiden's waist. "Alright, fine. You're coming home with me."
They continued walking in silence, Aiden's head eventually resting lightly against Keller's shoulder. His breathing grew slower, and for a brief moment, Keller thought he might have fallen asleep right there on the street.
The wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it the faint sound of distant traffic. The only other noise was the soft scuffing of their shoes against the pavement.
Keller kicked the door shut behind them and carefully guided Aiden into his small bedroom. He helped him sit down on the edge of the bed, where Aiden slumped forward, his elbows resting on his knees and his head hanging low.
"Here," Keller said, pressing a glass of water into Aiden's hand. "Drink this."
Aiden's fingers trembled as he wrapped them around the glass. He lifted it to his lips but only managed a small sip before it slipped from his hand and fell to the floor, water spilling across the wooden boards.
"Shit," Keller muttered under his breath, quickly crouching to clean up the mess.
Above him, Aiden's voice came, soft and raw, barely above a whisper:
"Keller… I think… I like you."
Keller's hands froze mid-motion. For a long moment, neither of them moved.
When Keller finally straightened up, Aiden had already slumped back onto the bed, his eyes closed, his breathing steady and deep.
Keller let out a shaky breath and grabbed a blanket, gently draping it over Aiden's shoulders.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, his gaze lingering on Aiden's sleeping face. The boy who always seemed so cold and untouchable now looked fragile, almost… human.
"Good night, Aiden," Keller whispered.
Outside the window, the city's lights twinkled in the distance, and the quiet of the night wrapped around them like a fragile cocoon.