I’m in my boxers, on my hands and knees, feeling around under my bed. I hear my door click open, and a call of greeting from Aiden.

“I’m in my room!” I call back.

I hear his heavy footfalls approaching, but I don’t straighten up, because I can almost reach - my fingers are so close -

“Hi,” Aiden says, from behind me. “What - what are you...?”

“Ugh, you’re gonna laugh, but - I was about to go to sleep, and I dropped my phone, and then when I was panicking trying to grab it, I kicked it under the bed. I can see it, I just can’t fucking reach it!” I arch my back, trying to squeeze further under the bed. “Your arms are longer than mine, you want to help me out?” He doesn’t answer. “Aiden?”

Again, no answer, so I give up reaching and turn my head.

Aiden is rooted to the spot in the doorway, staring at me, his lip pinned between his teeth.

He blinks when I look at him, his cheeks turning scarlet. “Oh - sorry, what? What did you say?”

“Oh my god,” I laugh, sitting back on my heels, reaching for him.

I expect him to take my hand and pull me to my feet. Instead, he slides an arm around me, lifts me off the ground, and tosses me roughly into the bed. I laugh again as he climbs up next to me, his blue eyes warm and eager.

“Aiden!”

“What?” he asks, putting his mouth to the curve of my shoulder. “Need some practice holding my energy back. There’s something I really want to do.”

Goosebumps roll down my spine, and my heartbeat kicks up. Cool night air is clinging to Aiden’s clothes. They brush against my bare skin, making me shiver.

“Is that-?” My breath hitches as his mouth moves to my neck. “You think - soon-?”

“Well, it better be soon, or I’m gonna lose my fucking mind.”

My laughter dissolves into a staggering breath as Aiden slips his fingers beneath the elastic of my boxers. I drag my fingernails up his back, gathering his shirt into my hands with the same movement. He lets out a purr of pleasure against my throat, then lifts his head so can wrench his shirt off, taking the snapback with it.

I’m always happy to help Aiden practice with his magic, but this is definitely my favorite way to do so.

~~~~

Afterwards, we curl up close on my bed, our foreheads tipped together. We’re on top of the comforters, but bathed in Aiden’s warmth.

I have my fingertips on Aiden’s mouth, slowly tracing back and forth, like I’m trying to understand the shape of them in the darkness, commit it to memory. As if I don’t have a lamp on, the golden glow of it spilling over Aiden’s skin, gilding its warm color. As if I don’t know every part of his body by heart by now. By sight, and by touch.

He’s holding very still, but his eyes are open, watching me. The fire that was burning in them before has turned to a deep, steady glow, like embers. His gaze is always so sensitive and adoring, after we do this. It makes my toes curl.

Every now and then a shiver moves through his body. Echoes of earlier, or else a response to the feather-light movements of my fingers against his mouth. But otherwise, he doesn’t move.

I love this, about Aiden. He’ll lay back and be still, let me touch him and explore him for as long as I want. Sometimes it ends when I lull myself to sleep with my head on his chest. Sometimes it ends because it builds to a breaking point. My fingers will graze Aiden’s jaw or push into his hair, and a spark will flare between us. Suddenly we’ll find ourselves all tangled up with each other, and Aiden won’t be holding still anymore.

It’s becoming one of my favorite things to do. Not just one of my favorite things to do with Aiden. One of my favorite things, in general.

There’s something about the way he’s looking at me right now, like he’s entranced, in a dream, how I felt the first time I saw a magic firefly lift from his palm. I’ve been sticking to light, teasing touches, but now I want more.

I tip my face into his, bring our mouths together, stir his tongue with mine. My fingers drift to his chest, lovingly following every curve and line they find there.

Aiden’s hand moves from where it was resting on my hip, and slips onto my back. I have two tiny dimples at the base of my spine, and his fingers stop there, making small circles around them, then pressing into them.

“I like these,” he murmurs, against my mouth.

My thumb traces over one of the divots at his hips. “I like these.”

He laughs, his breath moving tenderly over my face. “I’m sorry about your mirror.”

After we heard it shatter, we slowed down, came back to what we know Aiden can handle. But it was way too late, by that point. It’s destroyed. I’m gonna have to toss it.

“That’s the third one,” I tell him. “I wonder what the people at the thrift store think I’m doing with these. At least they’re only like, three dollars a pop?”

Aiden huffs out another soft laugh.

“I don’t want to go,” he says, smoothing a strand of hair out of my face.

I pout at him. “I don’t want you to go, either.”

Aiden sits up with a regretful sigh, then gets to his feet. I stretch out on my side, watching him. The graceful movements of his muscles, rising and falling beneath his skin as he bends to grab his boxers from the floor. Then again, when he finds his jeans. He pulls them on, zips them up, and does up his belt buckle. I like the soft sound it makes, the tiny click.

“I should have brought over my work clothes for tomorrow.” Aiden tosses his hair out of his face, looking around for his shirt. His eyes land on me, and he pauses.

He comes to sit on the edge of the bed, then touches his thumb to my cheek. I sit up and coil around him, lean my chin on his shoulder.

“Maybe you can just leave some here,” I answer, nuzzling my face into his neck. “Some of your work clothes? So you don’t have to go home, next time?”

Aiden blinks his blue eyes at me, surprised. “That - would be cool with you?”

I sort of hadn’t realized what I was offering until I said it, but - I wouldn’t have offered it even accidentally, if I didn’t mean it. I bite my lip, then shrug.

“Yeah, sure. I mean, it’s annoying, obviously. Here you are taking up precious real estate in my tiny apartment.”

Aiden huffs out a little laugh. “Right, of course. Selfish jerk that I am.”

“Totally. But, whatever. I guess I could find a drawer for you. Or something.”

Aiden stares at me, fighting down a wide smile.

“Okay,” he says, all casual. “You know, you can - you can leave some stuff at my place, too, if you want.”

I have my nose pressed to his shoulder, which is good, because it means he can’t see the way my cheeks instantly start to burn.

“Alright.” I shrug again. “Sounds good.”

Aiden pulls his shoulder away, forcing me to look up at him. He’s grinning, and it makes me crack and start to laugh. He snickers quietly, puts his nose to mine.

It was clearly intended as a teasing gesture, but the closeness of him makes my breath catch, and he hears it. He drags the tip of his nose up and down the bridge of mine, twice, slowly, then kisses me deeply, coaxing my mouth open. My hands move to cup his face, stubble tickling my palms.

When Aiden pulls back, he hesitates, then stands up and undoes his belt again. Once more, I’m treated to that soft clicking sound. I close my eyes, listening.

Aiden sheds his clothes and climbs back into bed. He puts a hand to my sternum, pushes me onto my back. Tugs the comforters over us with one swift pull. I curl up against his chest, grateful to be back in his warmth.

“You’re gonna get home so late,” I warn him, even though pointing this out is the last thing I want to do.

“I’ll just stay. I’ll get up early, go home and change in the morning.”

I feel bad that he’s going to lose out on some sleep, but nowhere near bad enough to kick him out of my bed.

I tuck my head under his chin. “You sure?”

“Mhm.” He bows his head over mine, buries a kiss in my hair. “Definitely sure.”

I let out a contented sigh, stretching my legs out.

“I’m glad we’re doing exhibition stuff tomorrow. I like the days when we get to work together.”

“Me, too. We’ve got lots to do tomorrow, but we can go back later in the week, if we don’t finish everything.”

“How about Friday?” I yawn. “I’m not scheduled at the shop.”

“Or Thursday?” Aiden suggests. “Friday is my birthday, so I just want to hang out with y-”

I vault upright, and he breaks off, startled.

“Um. Aiden. What in the fuck?”

He props himself up on his elbows, confused. “Did I say something wr-?”

“Aiden! It’s your birthday on Friday and you didn’t say anything until now? When were you gonna tell me, if it hadn’t come up?”

“Ah… probably on Thursday?”

“Oh, my fucking god.” I fix him with an indignant glare. “You. Huge. Jerk. You were going to give me literally no time to prepare?”

Aiden looks alarmed. “To prepare what?”

“Just - to prepare!”

“Look, I don’t really celebrate my birthday, okay? When I was traveling, I usually forgot about it, and anyways, there’s all this - pressure to be happy, and have a great time - I know I warned you that I don’t like surprise parties, but I was worried you were going to do one anyways, because you can’t help but be nice.”

“Dude! I wouldn’t do that! Throwing a surprise party for someone who hates them? That’s not nice.” I let out a frustrated exhale, then move to sit closer to him. “But can I do something?”

Aiden hesitates, considering.

“A little thing?” he asks, hopefully.

“A very little thing, I swear. I won’t plan anything you won’t like. And you’ll have the date and time in advance.”

Aiden takes a minute to think it over, then lets out a deep sigh.

“Okay, fine. I’m trusting you, man.”

“Really?” I beam at him, clasping my fingers beneath my chin. “Oh my god, okay, I’ve got people I need to text. Where’s my phone?”

“You kicked it under the bed.”

“Oh, right. Can you get it for me? My arms aren’t long enough, and since your arms are like, the span of the Mason-Dixon line-”

“Okay,” Aiden laughs, falling onto his back. “Fuck you, dude. Get it yourself.”

“Wow!” I climb over and straddle him, so I can glare down directly into his face. “You know what? I actually am gonna throw you a giant surprise party-”

“Jamie!” Aiden groans.

“A giant surprise party,” I say loudly, “An all-night rager. The entire population of Ketterbridge will be in attendance, and everyone will be paying close attention to whether or not you’re having a good time. If you seem like you aren’t having a good time, they’ll be sure to ask you about it. I’ll specifically tell them to, on the invitations.”

“Jamie.”

“Music choice will be Banshee Screeches Volume 6: Ultimate Scream.”

“Jamie.”

“Food will be a strawberry cake, with a lot of strawberries on top. Your birthday gift will be a full-body hives outbreak. And for snacks: nothing but Scorpion chips.”

“Jamie.” Aiden grabs my hands, and I stop, looking down at him. His cheeks are a burnt shade of crimson, and he seems a little out of breath. “Look, I’m happy to listen to you describe what sounds like the world’s most unhinged, hellish birthday party-”

“Good, cause I’ve got more.”

“-but it’s distracting,” he continues, the blush in his cheeks darkening, “When you’re sitting on me like this?” His eyes flicker to my mouth, and he bites the inside of his cheek. “If you want to get any sleep tonight whatsoever, you should probably get off of me.”

He half sits up, expecting me to move, but I don’t. I trail my fingers over his collarbones, then take one of his hands in both of mine.

“Jokes aside, let’s invite Ripples, Raj, Mel, and Noah, obviously.” I bring Aiden’s hand to my mouth, brush a light kiss onto his wrist, feel his pulse against my lips. “What's going on there, by the way? With Raj, Mel, and Noah?”

Aiden’s voice roughens as my kisses drift to his palm. “Going on - what do you mean?”

“I don’t know. I'm not sure.” I nibble my way up his index finger, then back down. “I’ve caught all of them being weird, but at different times, and about different things.” I drop Aiden’s hand onto the bedspread. “Whatever’s going on, I don’t think they’ve all talked about it, but it feels like it's all related, somehow.”

“I-” Aiden lets out a sharp breath as I put my fingers to his body, let them start gliding, exploring, circling. “I - did notice that Raj never explained why - he - why he asked-”

Aiden’s words float into the air, unfinished. His eyes are black pools, edged with burning rings of blue. He sits up higher on his elbows, his mouth seeking mine, but I pull away.

I’m feeling more than a little petty. I can’t believe he wasn’t going to tell me about his birthday.

“Not only Raj, though.” I sit back, quite deliberately shifting my weight into Aiden’s lap, settling myself down on him. “All of them.”

My fingers are still wandering. Aiden is gripping a fistful of the comforters, his eyes hazy.

“Well - I - I think-” he stammers, “It’s - I don’t-”

He clearly isn’t going to get a full sentence out, not worked up like he is. His body was languid and unwound before; now I can feel his muscles growing tense, poised. I feel his pulse picking up beneath me.

I bring my face to his, but stop short of a kiss.

“What’s the matter, Callahan?” I murmur. “You can’t string together a sentence? Something wrong with your tongue?” I dip mine into his mouth, and he lets out a ragged breath. “I mean, it feels fine.”

“Nothing’s wrong with it, and I can prove that,” he purrs, reaching up to pull me in for a kiss.

Before he can get there, I sit back and climb off of him.

“Oh, good. You’re probably just tired, then.” I reach over and turn off the lamp, then pop a quick kiss onto Aiden’s mouth. “Goodnight. I love you.”

“Oh.” He blinks in surprise, watching as I pull the covers over us and curl onto my side. “Um. Okay. Goodnight. I love you, too.”

I lay there in the dark, pretending to sleep. My eyes are closed, but I’m very aware of the internal battle that Aiden is fighting next to me.

He puts up a valiant effort - he lasts longer than I thought he would, actually - but eventually, he gives up and rolls over, desperately pressing his body against mine, trying to wake me up.

I turn my head to look at him, then laugh when he makes a helpless, pleading little sound.

Smiling to myself, I roll over and take him into my arms, let him kiss me down into the pillows.

“Teach you to skip telling me about your birthday,” I say breathlessly, when we break apart. “Come on, you knew that I would want to know.”

“I’m sorry.” He sinks a slow, lingering kiss into my neck. “Let me make it up to you?”

“How?”

I feel Aiden smile, like he was hoping I would ask.

By the time he’s done making things up to me, the mirror is somehow more broken than it was before, and I don’t even remember what I was mad about.

~~~~

He’s gone when I wake up in the morning. He left early, to go home and change before work. But my phone has been retrieved from under the bed. He left it charging on my night table.

I get out of bed, go to my dresser, open the top drawer. There’s not too much stuff in there, and I clear it out easily.

When I’m done, I snap a picture of the empty drawer and text it to Aiden, along with a message.

This one’s all yours, Companion Plant.