When Hunter and Aiden arrived at the library. They watched as Liam stood near the entrance casually leaning against the pillar while scrolling through his phone. As soon as he heard Hunter's voice call out to him, he looked up and smiled brightly until he spotted Aiden beside him with his hand clutching Hunter's like it was a territorial claim.
Liam's smile dropped. However, soon, it curved into a smirk.
Aiden, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes like a hawk spotting his prey. He nuzled himself closer to Hunter and whispered loud enough. "Creepy Bastard."
"Huh?" Hunter barely heard him.
"Nothing. Your hand is mine today. Don't let it go, alright?" Aiden warned him as they walked up, and Liam greeted them with a falsely polite tone.
"Didn't know Aiden would be joining us too."
"Yeah," Hunter glanced at Aiden with a a delicate smile, "Exams are near and he should really focus."
"Of course. More the merrier." Liam chuckled and turned to Aiden. "Also, about yesterday, I just want to apologize. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. There's nothing going on between me and Hunter, I promise."
Aiden's glare could've fried a fly mid-air. He knew exactly what Liam was doing by pulling the "I'm so innocent" card just to see how he'd react in front of Hunter.
But instead of snapping, Aiden smiled like a devil in angel's skin. "Oh, it's okay. Nothing can come between me and Hunter. Especially not a guy like you. You're just not his type, right Hunter?"
"Yeah. He's right," Hunter nodded obediently.
Liam's jaw tightened subtly but he kept a smile now. "Well. Good for you two. Let's go now."
Inside the library, Liam motioned to sit beside Hunter, but Aiden slid into the chair faster than a sugar-high ferret. He threw his bag loudly on the table. "Seat beside Hunter is always mine. Like, it's an unspoken rule."
Liam's eye twitched as he stared at Aiden's smile. "Right."
They began to study or at least, Hunter tried to. Liam leaned over the table to ask something. "Hey, Hunter, for the calculus—"
"Hunter!" Aiden cuts him off, flipping Liam's book around and showing Hunter his phone. "Look at this meme. It's a mitochondria screaming. It's literally you in science class."
Hunter blinked at Liam's offended face and gave him an apologetic smile before turning to Aiden and snatchinf his phone. "Aiden, we're here to study, remember? Stop disturbing others."
"Oh, did I disturb it?" Aiden smiled innocently glancing at Liam who rolled his eyes.
Liam tried again fifteen minutes later "Do you have the old notes from last term—"
"Hunter" Aiden interrupted him again, reaching over to brush imaginary lint off Hunter's shoulder. "You're slouching. Sit straight, or your spine's going to look like a spoon."
Hunter sat up straighter. "Thanks."
Liam clenched his jaw as it went on and on. Every time he tried to speak, Aiden was already there to disturb it, petting Hunter's hair, feeding him gum, poking his side, whispering jokes that made Hunter bite down grins. And Hunter, he didn't even seem to notice. He answered Aiden like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Aiden stretched in his chair, yawned exaggeratedly, then leaned on Hunter's shoulder like a sleepy kitten. "I can't focus on this stupid book. Your shoulder is more comfy."
Hunter chuckled, adjusting slightly to support him. "You're doing everything except studying."
Aiden tilted his head just enough to catch Liam's glare and smiled triumphantly like a cat that just knocked over a wine glass on purpose.
However, Even after two full hours of nonstop interruptions, shameless smirks, and failed attempts to dominate Hunter's attention, Liam was still smiling. He appeared to be calm, polite and patient like some damn saint.
And that made Aiden want to scream into a textbook. How dare he be so calm?
No. This wouldn't do. He wanted to expose Liam in front of Hunter. Aiden narrowed his eyes and leaned close to Hunter, who was scribbling notes like a good boy.
"Hey," Aiden whispered sweetly.
"Hmm?" Hunter didn't even glance up.
"I don't understand this formula," Aiden let out, keeping his voice low but deliberately sliding his hand on top of Hunter's.
Hunter looked over and Aiden smiled mischievously but before Hunter could register anything, Aiden kissed him on the lips. It was brief but definitely not something anyone would miss.
Hunter forget to breath as his heart skipped a beat, his pen slipped from his hand unaware that Aiden was doing all this just to provoke Liam. A deep blush crept up Hunter's cheeks and neck as he stared at Aiden's glowing eyes.
"A-Aiden…stop playing."
"I wasn't playing," Aiden pouted innocently. "I was just thanking my tutor with love."
Hunter covered his mouth with his hand, trying not to let his brain short-circuit from the public affection. But before either of them could say another word, a loud thud made both of them jump, destroying their moment.
A thick reference book dropped loudly onto the floor making both of their heads snapped up and found Liam staring back at them, his smile from earlier was nowhere to be found. Aiden and Hunter exchanged an awkward look.
But just as fast, he bent down and picked up the book, though when he straightened up his smile was back. "Oops. Slipped."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. Liar.
"Be careful," Hunter nodded, a little awkwardly.
"Of course."
When their study session finally ended and they stepped out of the library into the soft, Liam stretched and looked at them. "Should we get milkshakes? What's your favorite flavor, Hunter?"
Usually, Aiden would've jumped at that. Milkshakes were his guilty pleasure. But right now? He was in no mood to slurp chocolate next to that smirking snake.
He pouted and clung to Hunter's arm dramatically before Hunter could answer to Liam his favorite flavor. "No, I don't want any milkshakes. I studied too much and now my head hurts. My eyes are blurry, I think I'm dying. I just wanna go home and lie on top of you."
Hunter looked concerned for a moment. "Seriously? Are you okay?"
Aiden gave him a half-truthful moan and rubbed his forehead. Liam watched his fake tantrum which Hunter couldn't see through and rolled his eyes. Headache from what? You didn't even once look in your books.
Hunter turned to Liam with an apologetic look. "I think I'll take him home. Thanks for inviting us though."
"Sure," Liam smiled warmly and stepped forward to pat Hunter's shoulder in that overly familiar way. "Next time, then."
Aiden's gaze zeroed in on that hand like it had personally insulted his ancestors. He gritted his teeth, imagining slicing it off with the corner of a library card.
"We should come daily now until the vacation ends. What do you say?"
"Good idea," Hunter agreed, then started fishing through his pockets. "Wait…where's my phone?"
Aiden's attention got back at Hunter. "Did you lose it?"
"No," Hunter patted himself down. "I…think I left it inside."
"You probably left it on the desk. Want me to go and check?" Liam offered politely.
"No, don't worry. I'll go myself. You guys wait here, I'll be right back."
He gave Aiden's hand a quick squeeze and jogged back toward the library doors. And Aiden already felt suffocated side-eyeing Liam like a hawk on caffeine. He shifted on his feet and waited for Hunter and shuddered because he could feel Liam's gaze pressed against his skin like cold fingertips trailing up his spine. He tried to brush it off, but his instincts were howling.
He turned his head cautiously and flinched when he saw that same unnatural smile on his face
Aiden gulped but squinted in annoyance and fake confidence as if he wasn't at all intimidated by Liam. "What? Are you a ghost or something? Why are you always smiling like that? It's creepy."
Instead of answering, Liam began to walk towards him. Aiden's breath hitched as the few steps between them vanished too fast.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Aiden nervously backed up with an anxious laugh. "You're really living up to the creepy exorcist vibe right now?"
"Does my smile scare you that much?" Liam stopped only inches away from Aiden and peered down at him with that creepy gaze.
"Please, scared of you?" Aiden tried to scoff. "Who would be scared of—Ahhhh!!!!" He didn't get to complete his sentence before his arms were grabbed by Liam, who shoved him backwards with enough force that Aiden lost balance and sent him stumbling straight toward the curb where cars were speeding by. However, his foot barely touched the edge when Liam pulled him back just as fast before a car could hit him.
Aiden's knees almost gave out if not for Liam holding him up. Liam straightened him and patted his shoulders before bending down to his height. His dark eyes pierced back in Aiden's frightening glossy eyes. He scanned Aiden's pale face before licking his lips.
"Oops, you should be careful," A wicked grin breaks out again on his face. "There's so many cars, imagine if one hit you, what would you do then, huh?"
Aiden was so shaken from the incident that he couldn't move or speak.
"Bad boys who snoop through their boyfriend's phone get punished," he whispered, just close enough that his breath ghosted over Aiden's cheek. "Right? That's what God does to naughty ones like you."
Aiden can see it now, there's nothing normal about this guy. The sweet smile, the politeness, and fake words he spoke in front of Hunter are just for show. He's far more unstable.
"I'm just looking out for you," Liam stepped back as if nothing had happened, fixing his shirt casually and looking up the path where Hunter had disappeared. "Next time, be a good boy and let your boyfriend handle his phone, okay? Because you never know what can go wrong."
Aiden didn't respond to his warnings or even looked at him until Hunter returned.
"Weird, I checked every desk and even the counter but my phone wasn't there," Hunter huffed breathlessly.
"Ah, my bad," Liam let out a small chuckle with an enthusiastic expression. He pulled out Hunter's phone from his jacket pocket. "I think I accidentally picked yours thinking it was mine. I was just telling Aiden about it. Right, Aiden?"
Hunter looked between them when Aiden didn't reply. "Really? That's...weird. You weren't even sitting next to me."
Liam only smiled and shrugged but Hunter paid him no attention, his gaze was fixed on Aiden and noticing his lost look.
"You okay? Is your headache getting worse–?"
"Let's go!" Aiden grabbed Hunter's hand and dragged him away.
"Aiden—Hey! What happened?" Hunter tried to stop him and ask but Aiden didn't stop.
Liam watched them leave with an evil smirk. He lifted a hand and waved. "See you tomorrow!"
But once they were out of sight, his smile twisted even more. He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. The screen displayed a half naked photo of Aiden that he had stolen from Hunter's phone while Hunter was busy giving out the orders.
The private image wasn't meant for anyone else's eyes but Liam stared at it with sick satisfaction. He dragged his thumb over the screen and brought the phone closer to lips and pressed a kiss to it.
"Now this right here is jerking material."