The golden-orange light of the afternoon painted the sky above, tinged with strokes of violet-blue as the sun began its descent. Beneath the cool shade of a tall willow tree in the Martes' backyard, Aaron lay on the soft grass, the breeze teasing the tips of his scarf and ruffling the ends of his hair. The air was peaceful—the sound of leaves rustling, birds chirping, and the occasional distant bark of a dog blended into a tranquil lullaby.
Lily giggled quietly when she noticed that Aaron had dozed off beside her. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his sharp features softened in sleep. She lay beside him in the grass, crutches resting nearby, her cream-colored hands folded over her stomach as she stared up at the sky. In that quiet moment, everything felt serene.
But inside Aaron's mind, chaos stirred.
"No… no, not again… not now…" he muttered, body twitching slightly, his expression contorting in pain.
The dream had returned.
He stood in a mental landscape of flickering firelight and crashing rain, clutching the sides of his head, panic seizing his chest. The roar of the tires, the shrieks of his mother, and the twisting metal played on repeat—scenes branded into his mind like fire.
Back in the real world, Lily furrowed her brow, alarmed. She heard him mumbling—soft, frantic. His face looked so tormented. She reached over and gently touched his shoulder.
"Aaron?" she said softly.
He didn't stir.
She pushed a bit harder. "Aaron—wake up!"
His eyes snapped open. He sat bolt upright, chest heaving, eyes wide and unfocused. His glowing blue eyes darted across the garden, breathing ragged, lips parted. Lily sat upright with him.
"You're okay," she said gently. "It's alright. You're here."
Aaron blinked a few times before he finally focused on her. The panic drained slowly from his face. He looked away, his hands trembling slightly.
"What happened?" Lily asked, concern etched into her voice.
He didn't answer right away, his gaze fixed on a spot in the grass.
"I'm fine," he said finally, though his voice lacked conviction.
"You looked like you were in pain… was it a nightmare?"
"I said I'm fine," he repeated, this time more softly, almost apologetically. He stood up, brushing grass from his coat.
The sun was dipping below the fence line now, the sky glowing with twilight hues. "It's getting late. Want to head inside?"
Lily nodded, worry still creasing her brow.
Aaron helped her to her feet, gently handing her the crutches. They walked back into the house as shadows began to stretch across the garden.
Inside, Aaron turned on the lights. The warm glow filled the cozy home, chasing off the creeping darkness. The faint crackling of the fireplace in the living room brought a sense of calm back into the space.
Lily's stomach growled.
She blushed. "Sorry…"
Aaron turned to her. "Have you eaten anything?"
She shook her head. "Not really."
"I can cook something," he offered.
Her ears perked up. "You cook?"
He shrugged. "I live alone. Had to learn."
Lily tilted her head thoughtfully. "There's some pasta and cheese in the fridge, I think. A few spices too."
"That'll be plenty," Aaron said. "You can rest in the living room if you'd like."
Lily nodded and headed off toward the couch, her crutches clicking softly against the floor.
Aaron moved into the kitchen and got to work. He set a pot of water to boil and began preparing the cheese sauce. The smell of butter, cheese, and herbs soon filled the house, drifting through the open space into the living room, where Lily had curled up near the fire.
As he reached for a glass on the counter, his elbow caught it—sending it tumbling to the floor.
The sharp shatter pierced the calm like a scream.
"Damn it…" he muttered, crouching down to pick up the shards.
The sound of crutches came quickly.
"What happened?" Lily asked from the kitchen doorway.
Aaron kept his back to her. "I knocked over a glass. I'm really sorry…"
"It's okay," she said, stepping in. "Let me help—"
But she stopped when she noticed small drops of red on the floor.
"Aaron… you're bleeding."
"I'm fine," he replied quickly. "Just a small cut."
She frowned. "You're still bleeding. Come on, let me clean it."
He didn't move at first—still focused on the mess, hands methodically picking up each shard.
"Aaron, please."
Finally, he stood, rinsing his hand under the tap and wincing as the cold water hit the cut. She returned with a small first aid kit and helped him sit on the couch.
Carefully, she disinfected the cut and wrapped a soft bandage around his hand.
Then, gently, she looked up into his eyes.
"Aaron… something's wrong. Ever since earlier. What happened to you?"
He stared into the fireplace, the dancing flames reflected in his eyes.
"I see it… every time I sleep. That same day. The crash. I was eleven," he began quietly, the words thick in his throat. "My parents, my siblings—we were going on a trip. It was raining. A speeding car passed. My dad swerved. The car flipped. I tried to protect my little brother. But…"
He swallowed hard. "It didn't help."
Lily listened, still as stone.
"I woke up to sirens… fire. A firefighter pulling me out. Then everything exploded. I was the only one who made it."
Tears welled up in his eyes again, falling silently down his cheeks.
Lily said nothing. She simply wrapped her arms around him.
Aaron stiffened at first, unused to the touch.
But then he melted into her embrace, shoulders shaking as he cried softly. He hadn't cried like this in years. He didn't want to—but he couldn't stop. Not anymore.
Lily held him close, her fingers gently stroking his hair. "You're not alone anymore," she whispered.
Eventually, they separated, his face red and wet with tears, embarrassed.
"Sorry," he said, voice cracked.
"Don't be," she whispered, holding his hand.
They sat in silence, the fire warming their fur.
Then they ate. Lily smiled. "This is amazing."
Aaron chuckled softly. "Glad you like it."
After dinner, Aaron collected the plates and quietly returned to the kitchen. As he cleaned, guilt gnawed at him about the broken glass. He reached for his wallet, pulled out some cash, and scribbled a note:
"I'm very sorry for breaking the glass. Please accept this as repayment."
He folded the money and tucked it into the fruit bowl.
Lily didn't see.
A car pulled into the driveway outside. Aaron checked the time—it was late. Dave and Carla were home.
He opened the door as they walked up.
Dave smiled. "Evening. Everything go alright?"
Aaron rubbed the back of his neck. "I, uh… broke a glass while cooking. I'm really sorry about that."
"You cooked?" Carla blinked. "Aaron, that's very thoughtful. Don't worry about the glass."
"It's no trouble," Dave added.
Aaron nodded, checked his watch again. "The last bus is soon—I should head out."
He said his goodbyes. Lily watched from the doorway as the car drove off, her heart sinking slightly as the taillights disappeared down the road.
Back inside, Dave went to the kitchen and spotted something odd in the fruit bowl.
He lifted the note and laughed, showing Carla.
Their respect for Aaron grew deeper in that moment.
"He's one of a kind," Dave said softly. "I think we found someone really special."
On the nearly empty bus, Aaron leaned his head against the cool window, city lights flickering past. His mind was quiet now. Not empty—but quieter.
He stepped into his apartment. It was dark. Cold. Quiet.
But for the first time, it didn't feel as empty.
He was already looking forward to tomorrow.