the brain project [1]

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aidan

when he arrives to school the next day, he spots everett in his suv, his head rested back against the seat like last night, his eyes shut.

he doesn't know if he should walk up to the window and knock, just in case the other boy is sleeping, but he does anyway once he realizes that the parking lot is clear at the moment.

he taps his fist against the window three times, and everett's eyes fly open. he turns the car off and gets out, locking it. "hey. what's up?"

"were you asleep? i didn't mean to wake you."

"no," he dismisses with a wave. "i was just resting my eyes."

"are you okay?" aidan asks, his hands reaching out to put themselves in everett's sweatshirt pockets to grasp icy hands. something is off.

"i'm fine."

"no, you aren't. what happened? is it me? is it us?" insecurity makes its way into aidan like a virus.

"no!" everett runs a hand through his golden blonde hair. "i mean yes! but... no."

"talk to me, that's what we promised," he takes everett's hand again, pressing a kiss to it.

"i told my mom that i was pansexual, and... she didn't take it too well."

"what did she do?"

everett reaches up to brush his knuckles along aidan's cheek, sighing. "she didn't say anything. she just told me to go to school."

"well that's not terrible, right?" he tries to fill the other boy up with hope, but it is to no avail as everett's face visibly darkens.

"you don't know her, aidan. not like i do."

everett drops his hands and walks around him, into the school.