Chapter Text
He closed the door silently behind him.
Aaron had gotten a copy of his keys only a few weeks ago, happy about not needing to lockpick the door each night anymore.
Well, not every night. Just mosts.
Even he had to admit that it was impossible to pay Tomas a visit every single night; sometimes Aaron had annoying matters to attend to, others he was sick. But what Aaron hated the most was when Tomas wasn’t home. The first time had been devastating, and he still remembered the feeling of loss and confusion as he searched thoroughly, every room and every inch. After that, he started paying more attention to his schedule… some way or another. He knew that if he wasn’t sleeping at home, Aaron was most likely having a sleepover with one of his friends. Sometimes he didn’t spend the night away for months, sometimes he did it once every week, but every time Aaron knew not to go to him he felt like he would break under the slightest touch.
That’s why today he was entering his house with no intention of leaving alone.
Aaron had been taking care of all the preparations for this moment: he was lucky to have his own house in a secluded neighborhood, where he was sure no one who hear the disturbances that would probably take place while Tomas settled. He had prepared a room just for him, although that didn’t mean he wouldn’t enjoy spending time in other areas of the house, too. He imagined having breakfast together at the kitchen counter, the sweet smell of pastry lingering as they laughed and kissed.
He shook his head, trying to get rid of the fantasies. This was no time to get distracted; after all, those fantasies would amount to nothing once he dealt with the situation at hand.
The apartment was dark, but countless nights of visiting had gotten him used to the small interior. He knew there was a coffee table almost at the entrance, just in front of the couch, and that right opposite them was the old TV Tomas had brought from his parents' home. He went in between them, missing the disorganized kitchenette in favor of turning towards the minuscule hall that led to the bedroom.
Tomas’s room was big enough to fit his bed, a dresser that went from floor to roof beside it, and a desk, whose surface could barely be seen under the mess of papers above it. Tomas, although he didn’t express this out loud much, was a passionate writer. Aaron had gone through his notebooks, finding stories in each of them. Very few were finished, and even fewer could be considered to have the potential to become something, but he enjoyed them nonetheless. He could sense the hint of Tomas in every sentence, every letter, every word he used. He knew the man wasn’t into poetry, but he had found himself lost in thought, dreaming about Tomas writing him love poems and sonnets, full of cherished feelings and sweetness.
However, that hadn’t been the case. Yet, he made himself repeat. He was sure after this everything would click into place, and their life would become a love song. He smiled at the thought, as he got closer to the boy who plagued his thoughts. It always made Aaron laugh to see how he slept, body turned in the most impossible and uncomfortable positions. He always made a point of wrapping him up in his blankets again, since he always found them on the floor, but this time he let it go in favor of focusing on more important matters; Tomas soon wouldn’t be needing them anymore.
He silently took hold of the bag he had been carrying, although he knew Tomas probably wouldn’t wake up over such a light noise, as he was a heavy sleeper. However, Aaron didn’t want to risk it, not today out every other day. He grabbed a cloth he had prepared in advance and pressed it against the other’s mouth and nose. He waited until he was sure he had inhaled it and shoved it back inside his backpack, knowing from now onwards he had to be fast.
He dressed Tomas a little better so he wouldn’t be too cold out, and took a few of his notebooks in the last minute, thinking he would probably appreciate having them. After making sure everything was accounted for, he grabbed Tomas and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, doing the same thing with the other’s arm. He was sure no one would see them since it was late and it wasn’t a popular neighborhood, but just in case he was going to play into the act of taking care of a friend who was just too drunk to walk by himself.
He walked them to the door, closing it behind them, and down the elevator. The thrill of finally doing this outshined how uncomfortable it was having to carry Tomas like this. It was all worth it, in the end.
He had parked his car right in front of the building, so the ride there was short enough. He opened the passenger door—not without struggling—and sat Tomas there. He closed it and went to the driver's side. Once in, he again looked through his bag, until he found some tape to tie Tomas with. He understood it was necessary if he wanted to avoid possible accidents, like Tomas unexpectedly awakening in the middle of the ride. He dealt with his wrists and ankles, taping the last ones to the seat, just in case. Once finished, he threw all his things into the backseat and turned the engine on. The ride to his house was surprisingly short, regardless of the difference in neighborhoods. Tomas, like any other college student, tried saving as much as he could, therefore choosing a humble dwelling. Aaron, on the other hand, was well off enough to not need to worry about those matters; his family had always had a big sum of money under their wings, but after his mother’s recent death, he had all that money to recognize as his own, without anyone bothering to ask where it had come from or what it would be used for.
He made the last turn before arriving at his two-story house. After parking in the driveway, he checked the time to see he had arrived just in time for the drugs to be wearing off. Aaron wasn’t really sure if Tomas would wake up now or later, so he didn’t waste his time wondering and carried him inside. The room he had arranged for him was at the end of the hall on the second floor. He picked that one specifically since it had been soundproofed by the last owner, who used to be a musician. The room would now serve a different purpose, but, in a way, it was still all for love.
He laid him on the bed, not after gently taking the tape off his wrists, and went downstairs to get the rest of his things.
Suddenly he stopped, however, at the sudden realization of what was happening. He had done it, it was true. Tomas was finally safe and protected under his care and only his. Now there was none to get in the middle, nothing to distract either of them from the beauty of their relationship. He took a deep breath and tried not to run back upstairs to hug Tomas from excitement, he needed to remain calm for this to work.
Finally, we are together.