Page 48 of We May Be Fractured

“I mean it.” She took the bunny from his hands and fiddled with it.

“People like me and Landon—we find it hard to trust. We’ve been hurt badly.

So, when we meet someone who understands, who’s been through something like we have, it’s an instant bond.

It makes us feel less…alone.” As she poked the bunny’s belly, sadness flickered in her eyes.

“That first night, at the bonfire, when Nyle touched you…we thought you were one of us . But I’m glad you’re not. ”

Aaron caught her deeper meaning. He’d always wondered what bonded her and Landon, two people so different in appearance and attitude. But now, seeing that haunted expression in Ria’s eyes, he understood.

“That group you and Landon are part of…” Aaron started, but Ria was quicker.

“It’s a support group for survivors of sexual abuse. I haven’t been through half of what Landon has, but one bad experience was enough for me.”

Aaron’s throat tightened. He wished their shared experience had been anything but this.

“Don’t worry, I’m in a much better place now,” Ria added, her smile coming back. “That’s precisely why I believe Landon sees something special in you. He wouldn’t have let his guard down otherwise. You feel the same way about him, don’t you?”

“Yes.” The response tumbled out instinctively, without hesitation.

“You’ve seen it by now, right? Under all that tough guy act, Landon’s a softie.

He’s the kind of guy who’d step in front of a bus for someone he cares about.

Like the time with my ex at the pub… Well, you saw the video.

” She paused, squeezing the rabbit a little too much.

“Landon was there like a shot, told him to back off or else. And when talking didn’t work, he made sure my ex got the message to never bother me again. I bet he’d do the same for you.”

Aaron looked down. “I don’t deserve someone like him.”

Ria smacked him upside his head. “You’re talking rubbish.

You and Landon are both so stubborn. Why is it so hard for you to believe you deserve good things, eh?

What’s so wrong in seeking happiness? We may be fractured, sure, but that doesn’t mean we can’t piece ourselves back together.

You, me, Landon…we all have a right to be happy. ”

A wave of memories washed over him—those good times with Landon, the happiness he’d thought gone for good after Tori’s death.

Ria was right in a way, but also not quite.

He and Landon were fractured, but they could never piece themselves back together.

Fragments of their old selves, they’d been reshaped and cracked too many times to ever return to what they once were.

They weren’t jigsaw pieces that effortlessly snapped together, more like jagged bits, each trying to align without further damaging the other.

Perhaps their coming together wasn’t about perfect alignment but gradually smoothing out those harsh edges, little by little.

“So, what should I do? Show up at his door with handwritten signs like in Love Actually ?”

“Hold on.” Ria fished out her phone. “Let me send you something. It might help you figure things out with Landon.” She tapped away and then looked up at him. “Check your messages.”

Aaron opened the link she’d sent. “ Don’t Listen To Me ,” he read out loud. “ My name’s Psycho. If we met in real life, you probably wouldn’t want to chat or hang out. So, don’t bother with my podcast either. It’s not for you; it’s my way of letting off steam .”

Ria’s grin widened. “Classic Landon, that is.”

“Landon?”

“Yeah, ‘Psycho’. He took the nickname people threw at him and owned it. He’s been making this podcast for a while now.”

Aaron remembered seeing Landon’s recording setup in the summer house, but hadn’t realised what it was for.

“He started it as a kind of self-therapy. But to show his commitment to Lottie, he made it public.”

“Do you both see the same therapist?”

“She’s brilliant. I’d definitely recommend her if you’re considering therapy.”

Aaron wrinkled his nose. He’d saved her number ages ago but never had the nerve to call.

“Listen to the episodes from the start,” Ria suggested. “They might seem a bit all over the place at first, but there’s a clear thread running through them.”

Aaron quickly browsed through the episode list. Not too many, and not too long. “Are you sure Landon would be okay with me listening?”

“It’s out there for everyone, isn’t it?”

“I know, but—”

“Just listen to it, Aaron. Stop overthinking. If anyone needs to hear what Landon has to say, it’s you.”

Aaron sighed. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because I care about Landon. I’ve seen something special when you two are together, when you drop your defences. Don’t miss out on this chance. There’s enough sadness in the world. Grab the happy moments when you can.”

Ria handed back the stuffed rabbit and turned to leave. But after a few steps, she paused and faced him.

“You know, rabbits are smarter than people give them credit for. Everyone thinks they’re cowards because they run from danger. But that running is their survival strategy—a smart move.”

“You into animal documentaries like Landon?”

“He got me into them.” Ria glanced at the bunny in his hand. “Still in flight mode?”

Aaron held the plushie closer to his chest, then slipped it into his pocket.

“Not anymore.”

Ria’s smile was as wide as when they first met. As she disappeared around the corner, Aaron headed towards the station, his mind swirling with thoughts and his heart heavy with unspoken emotions. But instead of going home, he went straight to the Barbican Centre.

The Centre always drew him whenever he felt the need to vanish—his secret getaway in the middle of the city, a place so twisty and confusing no one would ever think to look for him there. And even if they did, they’d probably get lost first.

Hood up and tunes streaming through his earbuds, Aaron found his regular spot on the low wall overlooking the main courtyard and let Landon’s voice wash over him.

“ Hello, I’m Psycho, your not-so-friendly neighbourhood voice… ”