Chapter Text
Aiden was a fool.
You’d think that months of mutual pining, the fear of unrequited feelings or even the confession would be he most difficult — the most stressful. But no. Not for Aiden and Ashlyn.
Aiden and Ashlyn had gotten together. It was a Saturday night, 2am. Just after they transitioned. They’d been meeting up like that for awhile — after the phantoms. Both worldlessly meeting eachother on Ashlyns rooftop, looking at the stars and talking about everything and nothing. Sometimes they wouldn’t even talk. Just enjoying their collective company. Ashlyn was looking at the stars. Aiden looked over to her and saw - her. Just her. Her beauty. The way the ocean lighting from the moon and stars bathed her in a beautiful ray that caught just the right way on her freckles and ginger locks, which were down and flowing over her shoulders. Over the hoodie she was wearing. The red hoodie. The red hoodie that was Aiden’s. Smiley faces lining the shoulders and middle of the crimsion fabric.
His breath caught. Stuck in his throat like glue was holding it down.
She was gorgeous.
Breathtaking. Beautiful. Mesmerising.
He smiled at her. His eyes — usually lit up with a firery storm of laughter and chaos — softened and moulded into a softer flame. One of passion. Of love. He loved her so much.
Aiden already knew he did. He had for awhile. He noticed the way his breath would catch — just like this — when her hand would slightly brush his own. When she would look at him with a small — nearly invisible smile. When she would call him psycho, or Blondie, or idiot.
She looked over to him. Her green eyes windening slightly as she took in his expression.
His eyes were just full of love.
Of adoration. Of fire. The smile playing on his red lips was softer. Not the chaotic one. Not the creepy one. Not the smile that was too wide and unnatural with unsaid trauma and feelings.
This one was soft. Knowing. Pretty.
Thats when they both knew. They both knew they liked eachother.
Aiden saw it in the widening of her eyes. The way her hand inched just a smidge closer as she glanced at his lips. At his eyes, which were half-lidded and full of love. The way soft blush outlined her freckles.
Ashlyn saw it too. The way his eyes were half lidded. Full of unspoken feelings. Full of adoration. The way his cheeks and ears turned slightly red when he looked at her. Drinking in every detail as if he didn’t ever want to forget.
The tough bit came later.
Aiden and Ashlyn were sitting on Aidens couch. Watching some sort of rom-com movie that none of them payed half a mind to.
They both knew they liked eachother - but didn’t know how to go about it. Afterall they both have never had actual relationships before. They hadn’t even talked about it.
Aiden glanced at Ashlyn for what seemed like the 6th time in the span of half an hour. His hands itched. He just wanted to hold her.
He didnt want to mess things up.
He had invited her over to his house for the day — hoping to clear the air about their perdigiment. He was chickening out. He didn’t want to hurt her. What if he imagined that other night? What if she didn’t like him - and all that he saw was just platonic.
His eyes narrowed as he looked down to his lap. The bitter words ‘platonic’ ringing in his ears and making him want to throw up.
It couldn’t be platonic could it? The way looked at him with a smile when she thought he wasn’t looking. The way they both shared earpods at lunchtime. The way they would sometimes hold hands when stargazing — not speaking afterwards or mentioning any of it.
He didn’t know if he could take being wrong about that.
Aiden clark wasn’t scared of most things. He wasn’t scared when he jumped down a 13 foot wall. He wasn’t scared when they had first seen a phantom. He wasn’t even scared at his death.
He was scared of loosing her though. Of loosing the whole group — and her. Ashlyn. He couldn’t loose her.
Ashlyn looked over towards Aiden. She was hoping that he would say something about the other night. Somthing to clear the air. He was always good at relieving tension within the group with laughs and random jokes found on the internet.
She looked at him now. He was looking down at his lap, hands clenched so tight that his knuckles were turning white.
He wasn’t smiling.
Ashlyn reached out. Putting her hand over his balled up one. Carefully. Her freckled and small hand contasting to his big and tanned one.
He looked over to her. His thick, black eyebrows furrowed and his eyes hesitant. Like he was scared of breaking the tension. Of breaking them.
She would be the one to comfort him. She decided. He always comforted her. Been there when she needed someone to talk. To listen. To hold.
She would be that for him too. She had to.
She asked slowly —
“Aiden.. I know your worried. We are going to be ok.” She said with a smile. Soft and small. But wider than usual.
Aidens heart sped up. He felt like crying and laughing all at once. It was ok. They were ok.
Nothing was holding him back.
He smiled, a real, true one. Softer and realer than any other smile he had ever flashed in his life. He took her hand. Cheeks warming as he moved closer to her.
He looked at her lips. Cherry lips. He slowly reached his hand to cup her cheek. And stopped when their faces were just inches apart.
He looked back up at her eyes. His own very being imbodying a question. Waiting for her.
Ashlyn started to close her eyes as she moved closer. Her heart going in double time as she awaited him.
Their lips connected. Warm meeting cold. Aiden leaned into her, reaching the hand that was holding her to rest against her waist. One of his other hands curling around her jaw.
Ashlyn brought one of her hands to his neck. One curling his hair as she sighed into the kiss.
Aiden smiled against her lips. Deepening the kiss.
They both pulled back after a seccond. Both faces equally red as they rested both their foreheads against eachother.
“I love you” Aiden whispered against her, voice low and wavering.
She chuckled. “I love you too, idiot.”
And there, together, all doubts were gone. They loved eachother. They were in love. And they were eachothers. They would do it together.