Page 34 of We May Be Fractured

As the afternoon went on, Aaron became increasingly drawn to Landon’s laughter.

It was like hearing a melody from the next room, close enough to enjoy but out of reach.

He feared getting too close might somehow change the easy-going nature of their day.

So, he kept a bit of distance, savouring the experience yet keeping his guard up.

“Well,” he said as they headed towards the exit, “that was…enlightening.”

Landon’s laughter rang out again. “Enlightening, huh? Wonder what’s next on the agenda?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, curiosity mingled with confusion. Could this be a…date?

They left the zoo, Landon setting a brisk pace.

Aaron kept up as they passed quaint rows of houses and cosy-looking shops adorned with festive Christmas decorations, their windows aglow with warm light.

As they entered Regent Park, savoury and sweet aromas from food stalls wafted through the air. Landon paused briefly at a churros stand, seemingly tempted, but he continued walking.

“Hold on a sec,” Aaron called out. He quickly bought a cup and caught up to Landon.

“I thought you weren’t into sweets,” Landon said, surprised.

“You’re right.” Aaron handed over the churros. “For you.”

Landon glanced from Aaron to the churros and back. He accepted them with a soft “Cheers,” and took a Nutella-filled bite. “You sure you don’t want one?”

“Nah, too sugary for me. But seriously, how do you eat all those sweets and not turn into a pudding?”

Landon shrugged. “Actually, Nyle’s been nagging me to hit the gym with him. Reckons I’m losing my shape.”

Aaron gave Landon a once-over. Sure, he wasn’t all muscle and six-pack like Nyle, but that hardly mattered. Even wrapped up in his coat and beanie, braving the cold, there was something quite attractive about Landon.

“You, uh, look more than good to me,” Aaron said quietly, then quickly averted his gaze to his shoes before glancing back up. “But hey, if you’re up for some exercise, why not join me for a run sometime?”

Landon raised an eyebrow—the pierced one, which Aaron was pretty sure only Landon could arch that way. “At the crack of dawn? Not a chance.”

They continued until they reached Primrose Hill. The area buzzed with excitement, with signs pointing towards an art installation mimicking the Northern Lights.

“What the—” Aaron turned to Landon with his eyes wide.

“I know it’s not the real thing, but when I heard about this, I thought it’d be nice to bring a bit of Southern Lights to you since you’re so excited about it.”

Happiness flooded Aaron. Right then, he had an urge to lean in and kiss Landon. But for some reason, he couldn’t muster the courage. Kissing others had been a no-brainer, mainly because he didn’t care about them. But with Landon, it was different. A wave of fear hit Aaron, holding him back.

They eventually found a spot on the crowded grass and lay down to wait for the show to start.

With the darkness acting as a canvas, lights danced across the sky. Projected through artificial mist, they created a breathtaking illusion of the Northern Lights.

Despite knowing it was fake, Aaron felt as if transported there, to Australia, under the Lights Tori had loved so much. Magical and surreal, the shifting glow swirled like some cosmic dance.

Lying next to Landon, hands clasped on his stomach, Aaron narrowed his eyes as he drifted to some distant beach, imagining the sound of waves. Soon, the smell of the sea mixed with that of fresh grass.

“You like it?” Landon’s voice gently pulled him back.

Aaron turned to Landon, now bathed in the kaleidoscopic light. He appeared almost otherworldly as if he were part of the spectacle.

He pictured Landon right there with him in Australia as he had with Tori when they’d messed around with torches under their sheet forts. Aaron started to question if he really needed to jet off to the other side of the world to feel this alive again.

Maybe Landon had a point.

Was chasing dreams as far as the second star to the right even necessary? Perhaps his own version of Neverland was right here, closer than he’d ever imagined.

“It’s wonderful.” Aaron offered him a small, heartfelt smile, not like those Ria gave out, but he hoped it showed how thankful he was.

Then, almost without thinking, Aaron slowly reached out across the soft grass and brushed his fingertips over Landon’s clenched hand.

Landon’s hand relaxed, and their fingers slid together effortlessly.

They didn’t say anything else, there was no need. They lay there, hand in hand under the artificial Northern Lights, figuring out this unspoken language of theirs—a bit new, a bit clumsy. But that was okay. It only mattered that they were creating it together, learning as they went.

*

T hey returned home way past midnight.

Landon dumped his shoes, coat, hat, and scarf at the door. Pausing in the corridor, he mimed smoking, nodding towards the garden.

“I’ll head to bed,” Aaron said quietly. “Today’s been…a lot.” He left unsaid how his emotions were in overdrive, pulsing in his chest louder than the house’s silence.

“All right, goodnight, then,” Landon said, already disappearing into the shadowy corridor.

“Wait, Landon…”

The floorboards creaked, and then Landon came back into view. “Yeah?” He leaned awkwardly against the wall.

Aaron edged closer, his feet sliding on the wooden floor. “Thanks for tonight,” he murmured, a few inches from Landon. “Haven’t had this much fun in ages.”

“So, reckon we could do it again?” Landon held his gaze, seeming to shrink the gap between them even further.

Aaron met his eyes, heat prickling behind his collarbone. Landon’s breath tickled gently against the frozen tip of his nose. “I’d like that,” he managed to say.

“Can I—”

A Super Mario ringtone cut Landon off, and Aaron fumbled for his phone. He hesitated when Aunt Olivia’s name flashed on the screen.

“Just a sec,” he said to Landon. “It’s my auntie. I’ll be quick.”

He drifted towards the entrance, phone to his ear. “Hey, Aunt Olivia! Yeah, everything’s good. Just having a late breakfast.”

Aaron wove a tale about a day that never happened, his words tumbling out in a hurry, keen to get back to Landon.

But when he spun around, Landon was nowhere to be seen.