Chapter 36

Hunter let out a long and exhausted sigh as he rubbed his temples. 

"So let me get this straight. You used to run around bragging about how straight you were. You even tried to turn me straight, like some kind of missionary for heterosexuality. But now that it's your feelings on the line, suddenly, it's different? Now you're okay with liking guys? Why the hell are you such a hypocrite?"

Aiden blinked at him, looking genuinely puzzled. After a moment, as if he'd just solved a math equation in his head which he can never actually do, he grinned and declared, "I'm not a hypocrite. I just—I only like you."

Hunter found himself losing his sanity again. "That's not how it works."

"Yes, it is! I've done my research, Hunter. Turns out, I'm bi. Boom. Problem solved."

Hunter stared at him in disbelief. "Research?"

Aiden nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! I took a bunch of quizzes online. 'Am I gay? Am I bi? Do I have daddy issues?'—Okay, that last one wasn't related, but it did say I might need therapy. Anyway, after like, ten different tests, five said I'm bi, two said I'm gay, and one said I should be in jail. So I'm going with bi."

Hunter let out the longest and slowest exhale of his life. "You—you diagnosed yourself with bisexuality…through BuzzFeed quizzes?"

"They weren't all BuzzFeed!" Aiden defended, folding his arms with a proud look. "One was on a very serious psychology website. Had a lot of ads, though. Kept asking if I wanted to meet Samantha who lives 10 km away from me. I don't even know any Samantha."

"God," Hunter buried his face in his hands. It was a miracle he hasn't gone mad after surviving Aiden for so long. 

"Look, I don't like guys," Aiden sighed, leaning in and poking Hunter's arm to get his attention. "I like you. Just you. Does that make me gay? No! It makes me Huntersexual."

Hunter snapped his head up so fast his neck cracked. "Huntersexual?"

"Yeah," Aiden said proudly. "Exclusive membership. VIP access. No other dudes allowed. Just you."

Hunter opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. His eyes were in disbelief as if he was on the verge of crying. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Aiden smirked. "Where do I even start?"

Hunter groaned and shoved Aiden's face away, but Aiden only laughed and flopped dramatically onto his side, making himself comfortable.

"Get away from me." Hunter grumbled.

"Nope," Aiden stretched like a cat and rubbed his face against Hunter's arm. "This is my place now."

"You're an idiot."

"No, I'm Huntersexual." 

"SHUT UP."

Hunter wanted to be angry. But Aiden looked so damn pleased with himself that it was impossible to stay mad at him. He wanted to push Aiden away and make him mad enough to leave, but every time he tried, Aiden just laughed and ignored his strategies, or doubled down on his nonsense. It was infuriating.

"Hey, Hunter?" Aiden mumbled after a moment. 

"What?"

"Even if I am a hypocrite…you still like me, right?"

Hunter halted and with him his heart stopped too. His heart did something weird in his chest. He hated how Aiden could go from being the most annoying person on the planet to saying something that made Hunter want to…to—

"You're so fucking heavy," Hunter shoved him off instead of answering even though Aiden was just a small guy. 

Aiden rolled onto the other side with a dramatic oof. "That is not an answer, you coward." 

Hunter quickened his pace. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Aiden grinned anyway. "Sure, you don't." 

"Get back to your home before your mother calls you," Hunter growled.

Aiden went and stood in front of him, pouting like a spoiled prince who had just been denied dessert. Hunter gave him a confused look. 

"I'm not leaving unless you take me to your place."

It made Hunter furious. "Not this again." 

"Come on, I'll just follow you if you try to leave me here. So you might as well take me."

Hunter's stomach churned at the memory of that night. It flashed through his mind before he could stop it. And how much he scared made him cry. Hunter convinced himself that Aiden would never forgive him or that he would tell everyone what kind of person Hunter was. Aiden would start looking at him with disgust for the rest of his life.

And that's how it was supposed to go because he deserved it. And yet, here he was. Still smiling and being the bright and damn happy as he always gets whenever he's with Hunter. 

As if Hunter didn't ruin everything or hurt him so badly that day. 

His chest clenched in dread and guilt while his brain twisting with questions. Why was Aiden so quick to forgive him? How could he act like nothing happened? How could he still want to be with Hunter after all this?

Hunter spent his days drowning in self-loathing, hating himself for what he'd done, for what he'd said. He was prepared to die in his own guilt.

But here Aiden was, completely unfazed. Or maybe almost unfazed. Because he could see the slight stiffness in Aiden's smile when he asked to go with Hunter. Even though he was grinning, his body still remembered that day. 

Hunter felt like throwing up at the sight. He wanted Aiden to hate him so badly. He would rather have Aiden despise him than pretend like everything was fine. This—this easy forgiveness, this blind acceptance—it was wrong. He wanted to say something horrible to Aiden that could push him away. To make him stop looking at him like that. 

His forgiveness couldn't erase that day, if anything, it would only keep the wounds fresher in Hunter's brain. 

He was always so weak when it came to Aiden. So instead, he turned away and muttered.

"My place isn't in a good area. It's dangerous to go there."

Aiden snorted. "You think I care? I'm not scared of a-anything." 

"You should be," Hunter's voice was sharper than intended. "You don't belong in a place like that."

Aiden rolled his eyes. "Oh please. I can handle a little danger. What, do you live in a haunted house? Is your landlord a serial killer? Are there literal demons there? No, right?" 

"Okay, let's do this," Aiden's tiny brain cells were working at maximum capacity. He bounced on his feet, his entire face glowing with excitement. "You take me to your place just once. And I promise—pinky swear!—I will never, ever, ever bother you again to take me there!"

"I know you're lying," Hunter squinted his eyes suspiciously because he knows this lunatic better than his own parents. 

"HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME OF LYING?!"

"I can read your face. You look too amused with yourself which means you're definitely up to something."

Aiden pouted and stomped his foot. "No way! I am serious!"

Hunter just kept stared unimpressed at him. The more he looked at Aiden's bright and eager little pudding face, the more obvious it became that he was full of shit.

But if Aiden saw where he lived and how bad it was maybe he'd finally back off.

"Fine," Hunter exhaled through his nose.