Page 5 of Just a Footnote

Liam hums. “It’s just some random Spotify playlist.”

That surprises Aiden a little. He’d taken Liam for the type of guy to have carefully curated playlists. “You don’t make your own?”

Liam rubs a hand along his jaw that’s lightly dotted with stubble. “I do have some for when I exercise and stuff. I doubt you want to listen to rap music.”

“Why don’t you think I like rap?” Aiden does in fact not seek out rap, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like it. Who doesn’t love Drake?

For a long moment, Liam considers him. The light from the streetlight casts a warm glow over his face, making it easier for Aiden to watch the smirk curl over his lips.

“You definitely seem more the alternative or metal type.”

“You’re profiling me because of my penchant for leather jackets and Converse.”

Liam laughs loudly. It’s nice. Warm and deep. “No, it’s because Archer’s told me that the stuff you listen to makes him want to punch a wall.”

Aiden scoffs. “That’s because Archer listens to Top 40. Exclusively.”

“Well I do agree with you there. When it’s his turn to run the music in the locker room it feels like I’m at a club. Same old music over and over.”

Aiden laughs and leans his head back against the headrest. He stares at Liam in the dark with a smile on his face. Only theglow of Liam’s phone lighting up reminds Aiden of why they’re still talking. Glancing down at the phone with a furrow between his brows, Aiden watches as Liam types out a message to who he assumes is his brother.

“Am I free to go upstairs now?” Aiden asks.

Liam nods with a bashful smile. “See you later.”

Aiden climbs out of the SUV. He pulls his jacket tighter around him as he heads inside, looking back once to find Liam watching him walk away. Liam salutes him through the window, a crooked grin on his lips, and Aiden’s breath catches in his throat. Fuck that.

The dorm is quiet when he walks inside. It’s dark too, which is a hopeful indication that he won’t have to wear his earbuds tonight. He jumps a foot in the air when he finds Archer in only a pair of boxer briefs drinking a glass of water in the kitchen.

“Hello,” Archer greets him with a smirk.

“Jesus Christ,” Aiden swears, narrowing his eyes at his twin. Although they have the same shock of white blond hair, blue eyes, and smattering of freckles, that’s where the overlap ends. Archer has a few inches on him and a lot more muscle. Aiden stopped growing in early high school whereas Archer hadn’t been able to stop.

“No, it is me, Archer.”

Aiden rolls his eyes. “That joke is tired.”

“Whatever.” Archer pushes off the counter, placing the glass in the sink with a sigh. “Liam bring you home?”

“Yes, thank you for hiring a babysitter for me.”

“He offered.”

“Okay.” Aiden doesn’t know what to do with that information. “Didn’t I just see you at the party? How did you get back here so fast? And where is Miles?”

Archer shoots a smirk his way. “Magic.”

“Minute man.”

Archer glares at him in the dark. Aiden watches his brother disappear into his bedroom, ignoring the softbabythat filters through the silence from Miles as the door closes. They make him sick. How his brother could love and trust someone so easily is beyond him. Loving someone sounds like the cruelest form of torture, but maybe that’s the point for Archer.

Hockey games areakin to the pit of hell, but Aiden attends them solely for Archer. Once upon a time they’d even played together after one of their nicer foster homes got them on the ice. Aiden had been average at it while Archer had wildly succeeded. The story of their lives.

The season is always exhausting. Too many games. Archer is getting some bullshit degree that is spoon fed to him by the university like all the other hockey players on the team hoping to go to the NHL after school. Aiden has plans. Aiden wants to be a doctor. He wants to help people. He wants to help kids. Once they graduate from Athens University he’s going to medical school in New York City where Archer is going to play for the Oilers.

That’s the plan. It’s been their plan for a long time. Even Miles knows the plan. Aiden lived without Archer for one year in his teens and he’s not ready to relive that yet. One of Archer’s teammates' girlfriends makes her way over to sit beside him.

“Hey Aiden,” Skye says as she lowers herself into the empty seat next to him. “I didn’t think you’d make it tonight.”

---