“
In less than a week, Harvard was going to call on his darling Neil and explain how sorry he was for all his imaginary offenses, and Neil would say that he’d only been put off by Harvard’s awful best friend. Then Harvard would realize everything had been Aiden’s fault all along, and also Neil would tell Harvard that he missed him, and they would get back together. Aiden would have to pretend he was happy for them.
This was one of a very few, very precious days, like fairy gold turning to dust and leaves as they slipped through his fingers. And Aiden was wasting it by being sick and disgusting.
“Sorry for being gross,” Aiden murmured into his pillow.
“Hey, no,” said Harvard. “You’re still really cute.”
Aiden scoffed into the pillow, which turned into more coughing. Harvard patted him on the back.
Harvard was so good at this boyfriend thing it was ridiculous. He was screwing up the boyfriend curve for all other boyfriends. That was why Aiden didn’t want any of the others.
He felt horrible and unpleasantly hot, and he could only bear this when Harvard was with him. Most of life was generally unfair and unpleasant, but it was all right if Harvard was there.
“Stay with me until I go to sleep,” Aiden murmured, willfully forgetting that lunch was over and Harvard should go to class.
For Aiden, Harvard would usually break the rules.
“If you want me to,” Harvard murmured back.
Aiden was ill and miserable and unguarded enough to whisper, “I never want anything but you.”
“Okay.” Harvard laughed quietly, kindly. “I think the cough syrup has made you a little loopy.”
Aiden wanted to be angry with Harvard for never understanding, but thank God Harvard didn’t. Besides, Aiden never could entirely manage to be angry with him. The emotion wouldn’t coalesce in Aiden’s chest, always collapsing in on itself and changing into different feelings.
As Aiden slid into sleep, like tumbling beneath a blanket of darkness, he felt an awareness even with his eyes closed that someone was stooping over him, like an intuition of a shadow, and then the soft press of Harvard’s lips against Aiden’s forehead. More a blessing than a kiss.
”
”