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Aiden had been quieter lately.
It was subtle, but he hadn't been quite as wacky and loud and bouncy and talkative as he normally was. He still had that insane, constant smile plastered on, but something about it felt off. He still cracked jokes, but they felt ingenuine.
No one else seemed to notice it, but Taylor did. She could tell that something was up with the boy but, for the life of her, she couldn't place exactly what it was.
One night, as the group met up in the Phantom Realm, she noticed that he was sitting way in the back of the bus, away from the rest of the group, looking down at something. Curious, she quietly got up and went to see what he was doing.
Coming closer, she noticed the panicked expression on his face.
"Aiden, what's going on?" she asked as she approached, her eyes drifting down to his exposed arms and, more specifically, the fresh-looking scars on them. Frantically, he pulled them down, but it was too late. The two just stared at each other for a moment before the silence was broken by Tyler at the front of the bus.
"You two okay back there?" he called. Aiden's eyes were wide with panic and he said nothing, so it was Taylor who turned, smiled, and answered.
"We're okay" she replied. "We'll be back in a moment, I just had to ask him something"
With that, the rest of the group turned back to each other, ignoring the pair in the back of the bus, much to Aiden's relief. Taylor turned back to him.
"Was that..?"
"Not now" he pleaded in a whisper. She nodded in understanding. "And don't mention it to anyone"
"I won't" she promised, managing a small smile. "Come on" she gestured for him to come with her to the front of the bus so they could join the rest of the group. "We look suspicious, huddled back here"
Taylor woke up from their collective nightmare and immediately pulled her phone out, a standard routine.
She could see the usual post-dream activity going on in the group chat, but she temporarily ignored it and went to text Aiden directly.
girltwin: am i allowed to ask?
rubixcubeextraordinaire: Yes its sh scars
rubixcubeextraordinaire: Yes its reesent
rubixcubeextraordinaire: No i dont wannaa tlak about it
girltwin: okay
girltwin: that's okay
girltwin: is there anything i can do?
rubixcubeextraordinaire: Dont tell anyeon
rubixcubeextraordinaire: Includng youer brother
rubixcubeextraordinaire: Please
girltwin: i won't
girltwin: i promise
girltwin: and, aiden?
rubixcubeextraordinaire: Whassup
girltwin: i'm here for you
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rubixcubeextraordinaire: Thanks