Aiden,

Aiden,

School is in session, buddy. Time to start appreciating the gift to the world that is Meg Ryan. Merry Christmas!

Em x

carmenpts‌:

“That’s fair…” With his words, Carmen figured that he hadn’t grown up in Wilmington the way that she had. “Yes, born and raised.” She laughed. “If it makes you feel any better, I don’t really see many of the people that I went to elementary school with either. Wilmington has a lot of new people, cause like half the people that used to live here tried and succeeded in getting out.” The brunette was supposed to have been one of those people, living somewhere like Los Angeles or New York but she simply could not do that to her grandfather. As he posed, Carmen raised the camera and took the picture. “Perfect.” She said, although considering that it was a film camera she would not know until it was developed. “Thanks for doing this, by the way. I know it isn’t the most normal thing to do. Or what you’d really want to be doing with your time.” 

“Oh, that’s awesome. I guess our perspectives are different. As you can probably tell, I’m not a native and I moved here when I was eighteen so Wilmington seemed fun and exciting and away from the tourists and advancement of technology and science in San Francisco. Wilmington just has more of a home feel to me,” he admitted, mainly because there was no home left for him in San Francisco, though it seemed that biological family would follow him to Wilmington somehow. Aiden released the smile, hoping that the photo turned out okay, but didn’t want to bother the photographer. “Thanks for asking me to take a photo. You didn’t bother me, don’t worry. Plus, I’m glad to be of help for someone. You better make sure to send me the photo when it’s printed or at least send me a print of the photo,” he joked. “Do you have any other hobbies?”

winnieblythe‌:

Like most things, his devotion to Rey began as a joke. It was invented solely as something to torment Gray with, a sure-fire way of silencing him if he was being annoying, but it’s gone on for so long now that Winnie has no idea when – or if – it’ll end. “I’ll find out where you live.” He couldn’t be threatening if his life depended on it, but he’s under the mistaken impression that he sounds like Liam Neeson in Taken, just with a demonic hamster instead of a beloved daughter. “If your dogs even think about touching my Luna – ” she’s his Luna now, supposedly, despite spending a massive portion of his life cursing her out, “ – I’ll kill you. I might not be able to reach your neck, but I’ll find a way to strangle you.” Winnie’s well-accustomed to people sighing in his presence; he acknowledges Aiden’s with a petulant scowl. “No. I’m just trying to bring some Christmas cheer into this godforsaken house. It’s not a crime – or, if it is, it’s a crime of passion.”

“I’m very scared of you Winnie,” Aiden put his hands up, pretending to shake in fear. To be honest, Winnie seemed harmless, but it was those that seemed harmless that were the scariest people. “At this point, I’m surprised you don’t already know where I live, Winnie the Boo,” he laughed, thinking his nickname for the other was so clever. “It’s my dogs’ world and I’m just living in it. It’s not my fault that Luna is so evil that my dogs want to kick her out of the world. I mean she probably bullies your whole house for all I know,” Aiden was obviously joking. He wouldn’t let his dogs harm another animal. “A crime of passion? You make things sound so lovely. My mother would have loved you,” Aiden briefly mentioned, hoping there would be no questions pressed about his mother.

jamesoncastello‌:

    I’m mad at her, too. The words never made it out of Jaime’s throat. Giving Aiden that little peek into the troubles he endured as a kid, trying to grow up alone and neglected; all of it, the whole night so far… it had been enough to make Jaime wish he’d never spoken a word. Those pieces of himself were not offered up freely, they weren’t a sample to pick at and discard. 

   Which is how Jaime felt right then. 

   Discarded. 

   The worst part about it? Jaime was sickeningly aware that Aiden felt the exact same, by Priscilla, thrown aside like he never mattered. It was a shared bitterness, but one that neither of them could mend at the moment. Jaime was resilient. He never gave up. Nothing could sway him when he decided he wanted something, and oh, he wanted this. He wanted a brother, and if Aiden was his only shot? 

   “Well… I’m sticking around for awhile,” Jaime said finally, voice gruff, holding back emotion. It had been so apparent moments before, but now a door had closed. “She’s not my mother, she’s ours.” Though, at this point, after such a… polite but staggeringly painful motivational speech, Jaime was just as suspicious as Aiden had been about their actual relation. The two couldn’t be more different, that was obvious. The younger sibling could feel the anger beginning to surge, threatening to crack the cool, barely collected surface. He knew the consequences of losing his shit at that moment, especially when Aiden had been so- well, whatever. Jaime certainly wasn’t going to think of the word gracious, despite it’s accuracy. 

   It wasn’t a no. Aiden said process. But… he also asked a question, again, that Jaime did not want to answer. After spewing such intimate details of his own trauma, it felt wrong to bring up the whole super perfect step-dad who had ‘saved’ the family. Not that Jaime wanted anything to do with it, but… he could see how that would go over with Aiden, already feeling unwanted. “I’m a fuckin’ super spy, dude, what do you want me to say? Anyone can be found if they’re wanted enough.” Subtle dig, but intentional nonetheless. Jaime held Aiden’s gaze for a moment, secretly hoping the words sunk in. “See ya ‘round, brother.” 

Aiden tried to examine the other body’s language, wondering how weird it was for the other person as well. Aiden of course had to give the brunette credit for even willing to show up to someone’s door to announce that the two were half-siblings. He wasn’t going to admit it, but part of him felt slightly okay, to know that there was still family. Then the other part of him knew that it was different, to know that the two shared the same bloodline, but that was the extent of their relationship. Although Aiden and Grayson were only best friends, Aiden felt more of a sibling relationship toward his friend than he did to his stranger who just showed up a couple hours ago. 

Aiden didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t force the other to leave town. It wasn’t his right. He didn’t know if Jaime had just come to visit for a week or if Jaime had found a place to stay and was making a living for himself already in Wilmington. Aiden knew he was bound to run into the other sooner or later and part of him was nervous about that. If this was how their first interaction was going to be, he didn’t know how things would be down the line if the two bumped into each other again. Of course, Aiden would be cordial, but that was just something he knew he had to be. He felt obligated to be nice to this stranger.

Aiden didn’t know what to say every time that Jaime kept referring to Priscilla as their mother. “Look, I get that you’re trying to get me to acknowledge that we’re brothers, which I do. I acknowledge that we’re biological brothers, but your mother isn’t mine. My mother was the person who chose to keep me, to love me, to make me feel wanted every second of the day. Sure, she gave me half my DNA, but that’s the extent of my relationship to that woman, so please don’t say she’s our mother when I don’t even know anything about her except for her first name.” Aiden had never been curious enough like some other adoptees to try to find his biological family. He didn’t have a desire to after hearing about what Priscilla had done to him.

Aiden understood that Jaime wanted to find him, but he just wasn’t ready. It was a lot of information at once for the 27 year-old. Sure, of course, part of him wished he could invite Jaime inside so that the two could get to know each other, but this was just how Aiden dealt with things. He needed time. He didn’t want the situation to only get worse from here. “I highly doubt you’re a spy. I just want to know the answer to how you found me, but it’s obvious that you’re avoiding it so I don’t know why I’m going to keep pushing it. Like how I don’t know why you would push me to say that Priscilla is our mother,” he spat out, unsure of where that comment even came from. He didn’t want to feel the pain he was feeling, but how could he help it? “Bye,” Aiden muttered, giving Jaime one final look before walking back into his apartment, unsure of where he stood in his emotions.

THE END

tweetiebirdie‌:

Status: open to all @wilmingtonstarters​ Location: Mystique Boutique (Birdie’s store)

   A week into 2020, and Birdie had never felt more exhausted. Now the only owner of the boutique, it’d been almost 2 weeks since they’d gotten the day off… and as much as they loved their shop, the smell of sage was getting old. They leaned against the front counter casually, flipping through an application that had been dropped off earlier absently, when the door chime caught Birdie’s attention. “Hey, good afternoon. Just stopping in, or looking for anything specific?” 

Aiden had decided that 2020 would be the year that he became more open minded. The whole new year, new me philosophy was working it’s way when Aiden was strolling along a couple businesses and saw one that he had seen before, but never thought to go inside. As he plopped in, he was greeted by an unfamiliar face. His eyes quickly observed what there was to offer and everything seemed so unfamiliar to him. “I’m just stopping in,” he responded quickly. “What’s this store all about? I haven’t been in here before,” hoping that the store associate could help Aiden.

Merry Christmas!

merry christmas aiden! 

you’re my longest, oldest friend and it’s fucking awesome to have you back around, man. remember the good old days, staying up all night playing games? wish we could go back sometimes. hope you like this !

now you won’t be late all the time, you shit

:)

love you, grayson