Page 21 of We May Be Fractured

Interesting

[Now playing ? Flaws—Bastille]

F rom that night on, things changed between Aaron and Landon.

They didn’t speak much during their Tube rides, but Landon had started sharing his playlist with him. A small thing, but it added a layer of intimacy to their…friendship? Aaron wasn’t sure what to label their growing bond. He knew, though, it was something special.

Their text exchanges had also become a regular part of Aaron’s day.

Landon would send anything from hilarious cat videos to gardening articles, each message bringing them closer. Aaron couldn’t help but smile whenever his phone buzzed.

Aaron had been sorting some Christmas albums at RPM on Wednesday when Fell nudged him.

“You’re always chuckling at that phone screen. Spill, is there someone in the picture?”

Aaron snorted dismissively. This reminded him of Aunt Olivia, always poking her nose into his life, asking about crushes, especially after she found out he was bi. Aaron kept telling her he wasn’t interested in anyone, but she’d smile, saying he’d change his mind once he met the one .

“There’s no one ,” he replied, wrinkling his nose. “And I don’t chuckle.”

But his denial was short-lived.

A new message from Landon made him burst into laughter, his elbow accidentally nudging the stack of vinyl records, sending them crashing down in a cascade.

Landon had sent a photo of the girl who’d gotten her boyfriend’s name tattooed on her shoulder, now back for a cover-up.

The irony wasn’t lost on Aaron, and Landon’s choice of soundtrack—“Critical Mistakes” by 888—was the cherry on top.

Trying to compose himself as he picked up the fallen albums, Aaron realised how much these little exchanges with Landon meant to him. They’d become a bright spot in his days, a connection he hadn’t expected.

But Aaron and Landon truly connected during the quiet nights.

Whether due to insomnia or unwinding before bed, their tea and cigarette breaks had become an almost sacred ritual.

With only the distant sounds of seagulls or buses as a backdrop, they would open up and talk.

Really talk.

*

O n Friday night—technically early Saturday morning by the clock’s standard—Aaron and Landon found themselves side by side on the grass.

With their backs against the fence, they each held a cup of tea in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

The usual nightmare had jolted Aaron awake, but this time, the comfort of Landon’s nearby presence was enough to dissuade him from his typical, post-nightmare run.

“What’s the big deal about Australia?” Landon broke the quiet. “Why are you so set on going there?”

“I’ve told you before, haven’t I? I’m planning to work at a wildlife park in Sydney.”

“But can’t you work with animals anywhere? There’s a zoo in Regent’s Park.”

“Yeah, but they don’t have koalas, do they?” Aaron countered.

“You can find them in other zoos, I guess. But it’s not about the koalas, is it?”

Aaron shifted slightly and inhaled his minty tea. “No, it’s not. It’s also about the Southern Lights. They’re…sort of a dream of mine.”

Landon looked puzzled. “Aren’t those the Northern Lights?”

“Yeah, same kind of phenomenon, but in different places. The Northern Lights are commonly seen in the northern hemisphere. Auroras in the southern hemisphere are known as the Southern Lights. What’s special about them is their rarity.

They’re less known, more elusive, like…like the best show in the world, for your eyes only. ”

“Still, seems like a long way to go for some lights in the sky. You could head to Iceland for the Northern ones. It’s a lot closer.” Landon took a sip, then a drag.

Aaron whipped out his phone and flicked through his Instagram. “Here, look at this.” He handed the phone to Landon.

A magical scene of the Southern Lights lit up the screen, with arcs and swirls of light weaving through the star-studded sky, creating an ethereal, otherworldly display.

Even if he couldn’t make out every shade—some blending, others washed out—the slow, hypnotic motion turned the night canvas into something alive.

The darkness of the trees below only added to the mystique.

If it looked this mesmerising to Aaron, it must have been even more breathtaking through Landon’s eyes.

Landon examined the photo, then glanced up at Aaron. “Okay, that does look incredible.”

“That’s why I want to go. Imagine being there, under those dancing lights.” Aaron sighed, retrieving his phone. “If not for this community service, I would have watched them at their best before summer kicked in. I have to wait for next year now.”

“Can you even see them?”

Aaron chuckled. “Yes, Landon, I can see them.”

“But can you see the colours?” Landon’s tone was more curious than mocking.

As Aaron pocketed his phone, he looked up at the clouded sky, exhaling even more clouds. “Well, I might not see them as vividly as you can, but yes, I can still make out the lights. Different, probably, but still beautiful.”

“Doesn’t that bother you?” Landon asked. “Not seeing everything?”

Aaron shrugged. It did bother him. “Yeah, a little bit, but I’ve learned to live with it, to focus on details others might not even notice so that I’m not completely missing out.”

Landon looked at him. “You’re not. Sounds to me like you’ve got a superpower instead.”

Aaron snorted. “A superpower? How do you figure that?”

“I’m serious,” Landon insisted. “As you said, you see things differently, not less. Just because you don’t perceive colours like everyone else doesn’t mean you’re missing out. Maybe we are the ones who are missing out on the smaller details.”

Aaron considered Landon’s words, the concept slowly sinking in. “Never thought of it like that.”

“We all see the world in our own way, colour-blind or not. It’s about perspective, isn’t it? We can be staring at the same thing and still see it completely differently.”

Aaron found a sense of comfort in Landon’s words. What if his different way of being bi was another part of what made him unique?

“But there’s got to be more to Australia than just koalas and the Lights, right?” Landon asked.

Aaron took a deep minty breath. “I made a promise to someone…someone very important to me. I have to go there.”

“I see.” Landon inhaled a long drag. “And this person…where are they now?” he asked gently but probing. “Is this the same one you’ve been leaving those voice messages for?”

“Um, I…” Touching the glass pendant hanging from his neck, Aaron’s thoughts drifted to Tori’s words, telling him to find his happy thoughts and fly to Neverland. Was he any closer to that place? Or was he losing his way? And even if he got there, what then?

He didn’t realise he was shivering until Landon wrapped his blanket around him.

“Hey, it’s all right. You don’t have to go there now. You’ve shared enough,” Landon said softly. “Let’s call it a night, okay?”

They snuffed out their cigarettes and headed back inside.

“Landon…” Aaron hesitated in the corridor, still draped in the warmth of the blanket, wanting to say more. He knew he could trust him.

Landon stopped at the foot of the stairs, waiting. His gaze encouraged Aaron to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out.

Finally, Aaron managed a quiet “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Aaron,” Landon replied, then turned and disappeared upstairs.

*

T heir growing bond hadn’t gone unnoticed by the rest of the group.

That Saturday, as Aaron and Landon grabbed their tools and made a beeline for the garden’s centre, Maeve couldn’t help but tease as they drew near.

“So, what’s the master plan today?” she asked. “More top-secret ‘let’s kill the tree’ meetings?”

Nyle added, laughing, “Yeah, you two look very suspicious.”

Cliff, passing by, added, “Seems like a ‘slay together, stay together’ kind of deal, huh?”

Despite the teasing, Aaron and Landon managed to make real progress. They pruned away the dead branches and treated the tree with a good combination of nutrients and mulch.

Now, it would be a waiting game.

For the first time, Aaron was keen to see what the next week would bring.

As the day drew to a close, he stood back and admired their efforts, wiping the sweat from his forehead. The tree already appeared noticeably healthier.

Muhammad called them over, rounding them up with a note of pride in his voice. “Good job today, team! Let’s keep this up next week!”

As they packed up, Nyle suggested a trip to a barcade in Soho.

“A barcade?” Aaron asked.

Ria, lacing up her shoes, explained, “Yeah, it’s a bar with arcade games. It’s fun. You should come!”

*

T he neon light and a bouncer’s looming figure outside the place gave off a nightclub vibe.

Descending the stairs into a basement, the group stepped into a whole other world.

Intergalactic-themed graffiti splashed the walls, with planets and spaceships glowing under the lights.

The symphony of electronic beep s and boop s from the games blended with the casual chatter around them, setting a lively yet chilled tone.

Nyle leaned in, grinning. “What do you think?”

The lineup of classic arcade games immediately drew Aaron’s attention, their screens flickering with flashing lights. Among them, one machine stood out. “Is that Pac-Man over there?”

Landon, coming up beside him, looked amused. “You good at it?”

“I’m more than good.” He left out the part about his main competitor, Aunt Olivia, and how she absolutely thrashed him every time.

“Oh really? Prove it.”

“You’re on. Loser buys drinks.”

“Are you sure?”

“Why? Are you scared you’ll lose?”

Nyle burst into laughter, joined by Maeve. “Yeah, Lanny, are you scared?”

Landon ignored them and turned to Aaron. For the second time, Aaron caught a glimpse of a smile, revealing a faint dimple.

“So, what’s in it for the winner?” Landon inquired.

“Um…free drinks and bragging rights?”

“Let’s include a coffee break when we’re in Camden Town.”

“I don’t like coff—” Aaron stopped short, realising Landon had already pegged him as the likely loser.