6. the end #2
Every part of him needs this. Needs Rion, and he can’t think.
"Come for me, baby," Rion whispers with such a calm but commanding tone that Aaron has no choice but to obey.
He comes with a loud gasp, sending ropes of cum into the air and staining Rion’s abdomen. He doesn’t seem to care, though, as he continues to mindlessly thrust into him until he spends himself inside Aaron.
When he pulls out, Aaron falls back onto the bed, his breath heavy.
Being with Rion has always been intense, but this was different. Rion was feral, unquenchable, and relentless. Sweat beads Rion’s entire body as Aaron sits up and watches him kneeling on the bed, breathing heavily.
His whole body is trembling, and Aaron reaches out. "Rion, are you-"
Rion pliantly falls into Aaron’s arms and rests his head on his shoulder. There is a sob, and then Aaron feels wet tears against his shoulder.
"Rion?" he asks, wrapping his arms around him in concern. Was today too much for him?
"Fuck," Rion whispers. "I needed that. Fuck… Thank you, Aaron."
Aaron holds him tighter and gently rubs his back. "It’s okay. I’ll always need you, Rion. No matter what. Because I love you."
Rion has nestled himself and made a home within his heart, and he'll never need or want anyone else.
"I know a lot about you. You’ve never hidden anything about yourself from me. Can you listen to what I have to say for a bit?" Rion asks, pulling away. "About my family?"
"Of course."
Rion and Aaron lie back down on the bed, Rion’s head on Aaron’s chest. "I have a brother. He and I were separated when we were kids and grew up in different orphanages. We’d often send letters to each other, but somehow we lost touch over the years.
Things were bad for me, so to make money, I worked as a dealer for The Crystal Brothers.
That's where I met Riko's mother. I was supposed to 'collect' the money she owed the gang but she was so terrified that I couldn't help but want to take care of her.
I got her a job with the gang and both of us were in a bad place, so we fell into each other's arms. We were happy because she needed me.
But one day, she just disappeared. It opened my eyes to the fact that I wanted to do more with my life.
I gathered what little money I had, made something of myself, got a scholarship, and made it through university. "
Aaron wonders where this is going, but he listens intently because so far, all the personal information about Rion he knew had been from other people.
"I had this idea for a consulting investment company, but had no backers. No one was willing to invest in an orphan who just got his business degree, no matter how good his proposal was. Everyone except Alvin. He had the capital, and I had the innovative ideas, so he needed me. He sponsored me since he couldn’t do everything by himself.
" Rion smiles and looks away. "That was the first time someone ever needed me that much, so I fell in love with him, and we got together.
But the more ASHI grew, the less I felt he needed me.
He loved me and he wanted me, but that initial desperate need was gone. "
At first, Aaron feels a pang of jealousy but reminds himself that all this is in the past, so he holds Rion tighter.
"Then I got a call that my ex-girlfriend passed away. They told me she left behind a daughter, and I was her only living relative. I was shocked. Alvin and I had spoken extensively about our future and he didn’t want kids.
I didn’t care either way as long as we were together.
But when I went to meet that child, she reminded me of me.
She needed someone. It could’ve been anyone, really, but I wanted it to be me.
I didn’t help her because I was a good person who wanted to take responsibility for his daughter," he says.
"I did it because I knew she would need me for years to come, so I used her to fill the void in my heart. I hate that she has always felt like she was the reason why Alvin and I broke up. The truth was that I distanced myself when I realised he wanted me, but he didn’t need me any more. Riko did, so I chose her."
"I think you’re being too hard on yourself. You helped her because you wanted to. Because you’re a good person with a good heart, and you like taking care of people. Like you’ve done for me," Aaron says.
"Do you really think so? I was all she had, so she had no choice but to rely on me. But she's all grown up now, and soon she won't need me anymore either," he sighs.
"You’re wrong. I can't speak for her, but the kind of affection you give is something that a person will always need," Aaron tells him, pulling him even closer.
Rion buries his face in Aaron’s chest, and tears fall from his eyes. All Aaron can do is hold him the way Rion always holds him, offering him comfort.
*
A few days later, Aaron glances over at Laura, in the passenger seat. She looks so small, but there is colour on her face: colour she hasn’t had in months.
"Wow," Laura says with a weak smile. "Home sweet home."
"Yeah," Aaron replies, overwhelmed. A part of him didn't think she'd live long enough to return home, let alone recover.
James, who has been sitting quietly in the back seat, grabs Laura’s bags. Aaron helps his mother out of the car, supporting her as they make their way to the front door of their flat. As soon as she steps through the door, her eyes look around the place.
"Oh, look at this mess," Laura mutters, shaking her head. "I should’ve told you boys to clean up more. What about the shop?"
Aaron and James exchange a glance. "Mum, please. You just got home," he says, trying to steer her towards her bedroom. "You need to rest before worrying about the shop."
"Rest? I’ve been resting for a whole year in that hospital bed. The shop needs me. I’ve got to get back to work, start cleaning, do something."
"Laura, seriously," Xander’s voice comes from the doorway as he enters with a smile. "Sit. Aaron and James have got the shop under control."
"Yes." James nods, putting down her bags. "I mean, it’s not the same without you, Mrs Williams, but we've been managing."
Xander helps Aaron take Laura to her room, making her sit on the bed. "You’ll take it easy for a few days first, okay? Dr. Cole said so," Aaron says.
Laura sighs. "Alright, alright," she says. "But only for a few days." She perks up. "Oh, but I want to cook again, like I promised you. The day after tomorrow we'll have a big dinner."
"Mum."
She shakes her head. "I need to do something," she says. "Besides. I want to meet your boyfriend."
Shit, Aaron thinks as both James and Xander give him helpless looks. He'll try to put it off as much as he can.
"It's too soon, I mean-"
"Nonsense," Laura says. "I haven’t met him yet, and I owe him a lot. He helped with your tuition, didn’t he?"
Aaron’s heart skips a beat. The age gap between him and Rion makes him a bit uneasy when it comes to his mother. For now, though, he is just grateful she is home, where she belongs.
Aaron is only able to delay her for a couple more days. Then Laura prepares for a big dinner. She’d finally allowed herself to rest, but she couldn’t stay still for long. Now, she’s running around the small kitchen, chopping vegetables, checking on the roast, and fussing over the table settings.
Rion agreed to come to the family dinner, but he has been out of town for a few days, and Aaron misses him terribly. He also hasn’t told Rion that his mother still doesn’t know about their age issue.
"It’s not too weird, right?" Aaron hisses to James and Xander as they set the table together. "I’m not overthinking it, am I?"
James raises his eyebrows. "If it isn’t a big deal, just tell your mother. Won’t it be more of a shock if she just sees him coming in?"
"Yeah, what have you been telling her, because she’s been asking about him all week," Xander says. "I thought you’d told her already."
"I don’t know," Aaron says, frustrated. "I’ve been buttering her up, you know, talking Rion up. I told her he’s very kind and that he’s related to Riko. That she stays with him."
"But not that he’s her father?" James asks.
"Nope, not that," Aaron admits. "She has a good impression of Rion, so I’ll just-"
When Aaron hears knocking on the door, he knows he has to address the elephant in the room. James gives him a thumbs-up as he rushes up to his mother. "Mum, I need to tell you something."
"Okay, honey, but open the door. It’s rude to leave the visitor waiting," she says, inching towards the door.
Taking a deep breath, he takes his mother’s hand and says. "Rion is a bit older than me."
Laura's eyes narrow in suspicion as they make their way towards the door. "How much older?" she asks.
"Don’t worry," Aaron says, turning the doorknob. "He’s not much older than you."
"That much older?" she asks in disbelief.
Aaron opens the door with a bright smile on his face.
Rion is standing there in a beautiful black suit with a blue shirt inside, carrying flowers and an expensive bottle of wine.
He looks like he is ready for a serious business meeting, not a family dinner.
His hair is neatly combed, and his smile is nervous when he spots Aaron.
If his mother were not right behind him, Aaron would kiss him right now.
"Good evening," Rion says with a smile.
"Hey… um, Mum, this is the man I told you about, my boyfriend, Rion," Aaron says. "Rion, this is my mum."
"Nice to meet you, Mrs Williams," Rion says, politely extending his hand for a handshake.
"Uh huh…right," Laura says, mouth wide open as she looks from Aaron to Rion and back again. "Nice to meet you too."
Rion hands her the flowers. "You look much better. I’m glad you’re out of the hospital."
"Thank you, they are lovely," she says, taking the flowers. Then she hesitates. "I’m sorry. I have to ask... How old are you?"