Page 52 of We May Be Fractured

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[Now playing ? Heaven is a Place—Amber Run]

I n the following month, things shifted quite a bit.

Community payback was behind them, and since Aaron and Landon had officially become an item, they spent more time together. Sometimes just the two of them, others in good company. But with Landon’s big day in court on the horizon, Aaron thought it better to give him some space.

That was why he stayed at Aunt Olivia’s rather than moving back in with Landon.

He still hung out at his place most of the time, though, so not much really changed except for where he slept.

They’d both agreed to take it slow, sticking to kisses and occasional touches here and there.

No sex. And while it was nice being that close, more often than not, it left Aaron yearning for more.

The more time he spent with Landon, the stronger his feelings grew.

Things had shifted within Landon’s family, too, particularly with Luzanne. She worked on mending fences with Landon. It was baby steps, but the lack of snide remarks and more frequent family dinners were promising signs.

On the eve of Landon’s testimony, Nyle decided to cheer his cousin up with a low-key get-together at their house. The whole gang was there—Maeve, Ria, Fell, even Luzanne and Jean.

They’d been having a laugh over board games, accompanied by Fell’s craft beers and crispy fried chicken. Lo-fi tunes playing in the background kept the atmosphere calm and relaxed. As the evening winded down, people began to head off.

Maeve was the first to make a move. “Right, I’m off. See you lot later!”

Nyle and Fell left next. Luzanne and Jean, who’d been pretty cosy all night, slipped off to their room without much fuss.

“I’ll help you tidy up,” Ria suggested, gesturing to the aftermath of their game night—plates, glasses, and cards everywhere.

Landon got up to lend a hand and bumped his knee against Aaron’s. The quick touch was enough to make Aaron jolt and accidentally whack his toe on the table.

“Everything all right?” Ria asked, sounding worried.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Aaron lied, ignoring the throbbing in his toe. He picked up a card from the floor and handed it to Landon. “You missed one.”

Their fingers brushed for a second, sending a tingle up Aaron’s spine.

“Right, I’ll sort the dishwasher,” Landon said, heading to the kitchen.

Watching him go, Aaron took another gulp of his drink. Maybe he’d had one too many of Landon’s killer cocktails. “I might need to stop with these. Can’t be hungover tomorrow.”

“You know they’re non-alcoholic, right?” Ria grinned. “Landon’s a wizard with spices, makes them taste boozy. He calls it the ‘Placebo’.”

Aaron twirled the empty glass in his hand, thinking back to when he first tried one at his surprise party. He’d believed the cocktails were part of the reason he was seeing Landon in a new light. Turns out, he’d been stone-cold sober the whole time.

“Excuse me a sec.” Aaron darted off to the kitchen where Landon was busy at the counter. “You’re a dick,” he blurted out as he got closer.

Landon placed the last dish down and turned with a mock-serious frown. “Easy with the compliments, or I might get emotional.”

“That cocktail you make.” Aaron gestured with the glass still in his hand. “It’s non-alcoholic, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s a mocktail.”

“So, you knew I was making a fool of myself at the party when I told you how beautiful you are.”

Landon nearly choked, trying to stifle a chuckle. “Not my fault people can be easily tricked. I never said it had booze in it. You just assumed.”

“You could’ve mentioned it though.”

“Why? Would it have made a difference?”

Aaron thought back to that night, the irresistible draw he felt towards Landon, a feeling that was just as strong now. No, it wouldn’t have changed a thing.

With his heart pounding, he edged closer, fixated on Landon’s lips. Everything inside him screamed to bridge the gap with a kiss.

“Heading off,” Ria called out from the doorway. “I’ll see you two tomorrow.”

The sound of the front door closing echoed through the corridor, signalling they were now alone.

“Aaron…” Landon grasped his chin, tilting his face up to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry if I’ve been off lately, but it’s just that—”

“You don’t have to apologise. It’s okay.”

“No,” Landon said, shaking his head. “It’s not okay. I’m all over the place about tomorrow, and I hate feeling like this. I should be over it by now.”

“Hey.” Aaron covered Landon’s hand with his own. “You’re allowed to struggle, even when you’re getting better.”

“And where’d you nick that bit of wisdom from?”

“Lottie might have mentioned something like it.”

Landon offered a half-smile. “So, you’re warming up to her?”

“Not exactly, but she’s not entirely useless.”

“Good to hear. I did tell her you weren’t going to be easy.”

“Wait, you’ve been talking to your therapist about…me?” Aaron asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Doctor-patient confidentiality,” Landon replied, kissing him.

It was a quick peck, but it coaxed out a soft moan from Aaron. Landon stepped back and released Aaron’s hand.

“Should I head off?” Aaron asked, inching towards the door. He didn’t want to overstep.

“Stay.” Landon’s tone was soft yet firm.

“All right.” Aaron finished up with the dishwasher and turned it on. “I can stick around for a bit, catch the last train.”

“No.” Landon’s hand found Aaron’s waist, holding him close. “Stay with me tonight.”

Aaron paused, searching Landon’s eyes. He wanted to spend the night with Landon more than anything else in the world, but he wanted Landon to want it too. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Their next kiss started off gentle and slow, but it quickly heated up, growing more passionate, almost desperate, as if they couldn’t get enough of each other.

“Let’s go to my room.” Landon took Aaron’s hand and practically raced up the stairs.

As the door clicked shut, everything else seemed a million miles away.

Downstairs, the faint hum of music and distant chatter of people drifted in from the street, mingling with the rustling leaves outside the window.

But in that room, it was just them, shielded from the world yet exposed to each other.

Landon pushed him towards the bed, kissing him like it was the end of the world and this was their last shot at it. They didn’t bother about turning on the lights, left with just the moonlight and the glow-in-the-dark stars.

“No third rule tonight,” Landon whispered near his ear, sending a shiver down Aaron’s spine.

It took him a moment to grasp what Landon meant, mainly because he was still dazed by how Landon was nuzzling into his neck. “You mean…”

“You can touch me anywhere. Everywhere. You decide.”

Landon’s fingers trailed up Aaron’s arms, halting at his wrists. He guided Aaron’s hands up between them, close to his face, a silent invitation to take the lead.

Aaron quivered slightly as he brushed back that rebellious curl from Landon’s forehead, then let his hands drift down to Landon’s shoulders and chest. Even through the fabric of the hoodie, he could feel the tension in Landon’s muscles and the quickened beat of his heart.

“You don’t have to prove anything,” Aaron murmured. “Not to me, not to yourself.”

“I know.” Landon took a deep breath, his eyes searching Aaron’s. “I want this.”

That was the green light they both needed. Their hands started exploring freely, shedding clothes until they were both bare under the duvet, wrapped up in each other.

Aaron wanted this too.

He savoured every inch of Landon’s skin, tracing tattoos, and scars, and freckles.

“I want you,” Landon murmured, reaching over to the bedside table. The sound of crinkling foil made Aaron’s pulse quicken.

“Are you sure?” he asked again.

Landon’s confirmation came with a gentle kiss, followed by the soft caress of their noses brushing together. Their foreheads met, and Aaron closed his eyes. He opened them again as Landon’s warm hand settled on his chest, fingers splayed against the thrumming of his heart.

“Afraid of the dark?” Landon joked, but his voice trembled.

“Never been. You?”

“Not when I’m with you. I trust you.”

Aaron snorted, his hands twitching. “I’m not sure what to do.”

“Well…if it makes you feel better, neither am I.”

They stifled a nervous chuckle, but their kiss swept away any fear.

Skin against skin, heavy breaths, greedy touches, and messy kisses, their barriers melted.

And they fused.

It was more than physical. It was the whispers, Landon’s steady hand on his heart, the other on his back, holding him close, refusing to let go. It wasn’t just their bodies laid bare before each other—it was their scars, their very souls, exposed and intertwined.

It didn’t last long. Aaron should have expected it. All the intense emotions they’d been holding back burst forth. But as quickly as their union peaked, Aaron sensed the shift.

A shadow crossed Landon’s face, his eyes clouding with distant thoughts.

Trauma and inexperience didn’t mix well. Much like alcohol and painkillers.

“Landon…” Aaron reached for him, wanting to bring him back. Taking Landon’s hand, he placed it over the long scar on his abdomen. “It’s okay. It’s you and me, here and now.”

“Aaron…”

“We’re in your room; you’re safe.” He laced their fingers and placed their hands on the bedhead, touching the indentation in the wood. “I’m here with you. No one’s going to hurt you.”

“Stay.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Aaron planted a kiss on Landon’s forehead and gently pulled away from him.

Landon’s next words were a soft murmur, nearly drowned out by the heavy air, but Aaron could swear he caught a whisper of “Never leave again.”

As they snuggled under the blankets, it felt like more than just getting into bed. It was like coming home . Aaron’s eyelids grew heavier by the second, but before sleep took him, he gazed up at the starry ceiling and smiled.

He’d found it. His happy thought.

Tori was right. Neverland wasn’t a physical place but a state of mind, somewhere in that sweet spot between dreaming and waking, where reality itself seemed like a dream.

And Aaron had just been there.

With Landon.