“What the hell is this?”

The serenity with which Chris put down his drink and looked, first at Aidan’s hand that slammed on the table and then at his face that glared down at him, could have made it look like he didn’t hear him over the loud music. His suit jacket was thrown over the back of the booth and one of his arms was stretched out over it, exposed up to the elbow where his rolled sleeve reached. The tie he wore that morning was nowhere to be seen, the top button of his shirt was undone, and Aidan couldn’t help but notice once again just how full of feline-like confidence he seemed. It only made his frown deeper. Aidan lifted his hand, exposing the one hundred dollar bill that was hidden underneath it bearing the signs of creases placed there in frustration, then smoothed out in regret. Chris’ hand never left his glass as he looked down at the bill, then back up at Aidan with an innocent expression.

“Well, usually we call this money. It’s used in order to pay for a good or service and-”

“Why did you leave this? Are you trying to make your family go bankrupt?” 

“That’s hardly going to make us go broke Aidan,” he chuckled, though the sound had a bitter undertone to it. “Just think of it as payment for the trouble. I’m pretty sure the guy that worked my table did not have a good time. Besides, you’re the one who said you won’t feed me for free.”

Aidan pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes at him. The nerve on this guy. Looking like he was watching the best show in town while using his own words against him. He considered how inappropriately immature it would be to stick his tongue out at him, though after a moment he simply huffed out an exasperated sigh and shook his head before dropping into the seat across from him.

“Take it back,” he pushed the bill in Chris’ direction. “You didn’t even eat anything. I’m not trying to scam my customers, even if they deserve it.”

The chuckle Chris let out this time was much more to his liking. His eyes lit up in that same way that made him seem as young and carefree as he should have been, like bright stars in the dark night, and it made Aidan sigh again, though in a much softer manner and only to himself. He hasn’t been making this kind of expression often enough, especially not lately. 

“Alright, I get it,” he dropped his gaze as he reached over to grab the bill between the long fingers of one hand while those of the other searched for his wallet. Though his smile remained in place, kind, soft and steady as before, somehow it made the shadows on Chris' face deeper, darker. It made him look, if only for a short moment, exhausted. “Next time I’ll make sure to get something so I can leave a proper tip.”

“Are you not sleeping again?”

The speed with which Chris’ gaze flickered up to him, the way his hand froze with his wallet mid-air, and the expression he wore – mouth ajar and eyebrows slightly lifted, were all just as surprised as Aidan felt. He didn’t mean to ask him that. Yet, now that he got a closer look of him, it was easy to tell that Chris looked worn out. His complexion wasn’t as pale as it used to be when they first met, nor were the bags under his eyes as strongly contrasted against it, but he still looked far from ideal, enough to make a rigid knot form at the very bottom of Aidan’s gut.

Chris, on the other hand, didn't seem too concerned. After the first moment of surprise passed his expression shifted again, though now he looked curious. Once more, he seemed to be searching for something in Adian’s expression. His eyes scanned the wrinkle that formed between his eyebrows, the subtle pull at the corners of his mouth, and the tense set of his jaw before he let out a soft sigh, his lips curving into a gentle smile.

“I’m fine,” he said as he put his wallet down on the table and relaxed back in his seat. "Don't worry about it."

“You’re brushing me off.”

“I’m not, I promise. I’ll let you know if it ever gets this bad again, okay? This week was just off to a busy start, that’s all.”

“Chris…”

“I promise,” Chris leaned in to put his hand on top of Aidan's, which were tightly entwined on the table between them. “I won’t give you another scare like I did in high school okay? No more collapsing in the middle of dinner. I’m no longer young and stupid you know.”

“No, you’re old and stupid which probably means your body is even weaker,” Aidan muttered, which only caused Chris to loudly laugh in return. 

"I appreciate the concern, but honestly Aidan I’m fine. Besides, as far as I can remember this was supposed to be a date, not an intervention… though we might be getting stood up,” he added as he looked around. “Where’s Ben? I thought he was coming with you.”