After spending much too long working on his webcomic update, Aiden’s schedule had been thrown into chaos. He’d chugged too many energy drinks and stayed up way too late, and the extra time he’d allotted himself to sleep in had been interrupted by a knock at the door. He answered with bedhead and confusion, only to find Damien standing there with a smirk and an apology that didn’t feel entirely genuine on his pierced lips. Somehow, as if under a spell, Aiden relinquished some of his afternoon under the caveat they’d be home before three so he could be productive and finish up his episode—and that he could shower beforehand because he was a mess after how stressful detailing the last few panels had been.

He did end up opening the sliding glass door like he’d planned once he’d settled in for the night, and the breeze had been nice, but he still got himself wound up enough to be sweaty, then crashed hard before he could change into lighter clothes. He was a mess. Damien told him he’d be back after he went to find some coffee, and left Aiden standing there half-asleep in the doorway.

Panic overwhelmed him, so he frantically tried to find his phone. He quickly pulled up his bestie’s contact info and shot them a message.

With a sigh, he tossed his phone on his bed and tried to gather items from his small closet, hoping he’d at least remembered to wash them in his manic bouts of artistic dissociation. He quickly showered, scrubbed the creative wear from his skin, and got dressed in the outfit his best friend had picked out for him. With all of the grace of a seasoned artist, he carefully applied his eyeliner to his lower lid and put his favorite fishbone earrings in before tucking his wayward locks under his beanie, leaving a few carefully selected strands hanging out to frame his face. By the time he finished sliding his cardigan on, Damien had returned and knocked on the door with a melodic pattern.

Aiden sighed and headed to the front of his apartment. He opened the door and was met with a cup of coffee and a smile. It was some sort of hazelnut-chocolate brew that smelled quite delicious and seasonal. He let his blue eyes drift over Damien’s frame, over the black, tight-fitting mock turtleneck that hugged his body, the sleeves pushed up just enough so Aiden could glimpse his forearms flexing. The way his seemingly designer jeans were just the right amount of baggy, how his already tall frame was elevated a tad by the chunky boots on his feet, and his perfectly styled hair showcased that his new neighbor was quite aware of his looks.

“Thanks for doing this. I’m excited to explore,” Damien said.

“No problem. Thanks for the coffee. Do you… have anywhere specific you wanted to go?” Aiden asked.

“I need some groceries, but I mostly wanted to see what was around. I moved here pretty much sight unseen, all vibes, so I’m a tad lost.”

“I need groceries, too, so that… that works. I kind of forget to stock up and then I run out of food, so it’ll be a good excuse to not… do that,” Aiden mumbled as he stepped out of his apartment. “So, you’re not a student?”

“No. Well, not yet. Maybe not ever. I’m not quite sure what I’m doing, I needed a break but I kind of decided to pick a spot that seemed pleasant and slow going and figured I’ll… figure it out… It’s a new day, a new start, so I’m making the most of it.”

Aiden looked at him with an eyebrow lifted in question. He brought the coffee to his lips and took a sip. It was sweet and autumnal. They both headed to the elevator.

“Well, it’s nice here. I hope you find what you’re looking for,” Aiden said with a soft smile.

Damien threw him a wink as the doors slid open. “I think I will. Seems like just the thing I need. You ready to have an adventure, mate?”

Aiden smiled. Despite how crazy it was that he was messing up a pivotal day for his projects, he didn’t feel all that bothered by it. Something about the smiling, golden retriever-like stranger in front of him made those worries lessen a little. He was indeed ready for an adventure.