Hi Pookies! I made a playlist especially for this chapter so if u wanna feel the vibe (highly recommended), I put in the comments >>

This chapter is very long cuz I didn't want to separate it so read when you have free time (the best at night) :3

+ If u see mistakes please lemme know!

________

Ashlyn fell on her pillow with a sigh and closed her eyes.

Taylor had just went to take a shower, so Ashlyn had about twenty minutes of free time. Luckily, she took airpods, so her headphones landed on the floor near the wall and charged calmly. Ashlyn played her favourite playlist, selected the top song and turned the volume all the way up.

The voice of Lana del Rey came through her headphones so loudly that it was pounding in her ears, but somehow it helped her to calm down. Yeah, calm down - she was extremely irritated. All because she and Taylor had a small fight. About nothing serious, they were both stressed and tired after the last night in the phantom dimension and they simply had a stupid quarrel. Well, it happens.

The most important thing was that everything went well this night: Ashlyn and Aiden waited until phantoms stopped wandering behind the door and found a room with a window through which they got outside. It took so long that exhausted Ashlyn fell asleep, but thanks God, Ben was fine. They were so happy they were going to spend the next night at the graveyard, to the point it became weird.

The whole past day was also quiet, even boring. Because what can you do in the forest in the middle of March? They went to the war crime scene and looked at graves in the forest, then they drove an hour to the city to visit two museums. When they finally came back they played field games, which weren't too bad because Ashlyn loved paintball. However, the downside was that it was very cold and Ashlyn was in a group with Tyler, so they argued all the time.

The noise burst her eardrums until it suddenly stopped, replaced by the sound of an incoming call.

Ashlyn opened her eyes and groped in the dark to find the phone lying next to her, the display shone brightly into her eyes. Aiden - she read, and her surprise turned to concern almost immediately. It was half past one after all. She answered.

"Hey, what's up Aid?"

"Hiiii!", she heard his smiley voice. "I'm alone."

"And?"

"I'm sad..."

"Yeah, sure. Anything else?"

"Can you come to hug me?"

She rolled her eyes, though he couldn't see it.

"I'm hanging up in three... two..."

"Okay, okay! Just open the window, it's cold outta here."

"Window- what?"

Ashlyn sat up and looked at the window. Her sight fell on the dark silhouette looking like a phantom behind the glass and she shuddered involuntarily. Her phone beeped, announcing the end of the call, and three seconds later Aiden's face appeared behind the window, with his smile creepily lit from below by a flashlight.

Ashlyn felt something like irritation mixed with amusement. She got up, turned on the night lamp and opened the window.

"Hiii!" Aiden bent down to put his legs inside and turned off his flashlight.

"How the fuck did you get here?"

"Don't yell at me, Ashy."

"Wanna fall, idiot?"

"Wanna watch the stars?"

Ashlyn grabbed his arm so as not to push him off the windowsill and leaned out the window to look up between the treetops.

"Wow. They are so... visible."

"Aren't they?" he laughed. "Come on, let's go."

"Where?" Ashlyn looked at him confused and he pointed at the sky.

"The roof!"

"What? Are you insane?!"

He leaned to her a little.

"Probably."

"No way, we'll fall."

"Don't worry, the roof is flat in the middle."

"Just in the middle."

"Trust me, Ash! Do you trust me?"

"Yeah", she frowned.

"Don't you remember I caught you the last time?"

Ashlyn felt a warmth in her chest, like she always did when she thought about that night. That was the first time that close kind of contact had happened between them, and it still made her heart flutter, no matter how hard she tried to keep it at a normal pace.

"Ashlyn, hello! Did you hear me?"

"Yeah I heard you. I just wondered."

"Soooo?"

She looked at the edge of the roof above her head.

"How are we supposed to get there?"

"You're going? Yay!"

"If I fall, you'll let me kill you with your own knife and buy me one thousand cinnamon rolls."

"You're missing something. If you kill me, I won't be able to buy you one thousand cinnamon rolls."

"Dang, you're right. But wait, I have a great idea: you'll buy me my cinnamon rolls and then I'll kill you. How about that?"

"How about no?"

"Then don't let me fall." Ashlyn turned to put on her shoes lying next to her small suitcase, and climbed onto the windowsill."

Aiden grinned.

"You won't fall down on purpose to make me buy you food, right...?"

"If you annoy me, I'll sacrifice myself." she stood up, holding onto the edge of a gutter. "Are you going or not?"

"I'm going", Aiden stood up as well. "Look, catch this gutter and pull up, like this." he pushed himself off the windowsill and sat on the edge of the roof, reaching out his hand to her.

Ashlyn grabbed it and followed him up.

"Hey, you're stronger than I thought", he half-joked.

"That'she because I do ballet. I'm stronger than you think."

"No doubts."

They climbed a few feet up the sloping roof and it turned out there was a flat surface in a middle of it, surrounded by chimneys on two sides.

"Wow", that was only thing Ashlyn could say. "Wow."

The sky was cloudy, but its fragments with millions of stars were visible.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he laughed.

"At least beautiful", she did a little pirouette. Dance under the stars, she never thought about it.

I would have taken my ballet shoes if I knew.

Aiden sat down and she sat on his right.

"How did you find this place?" she asked.

"A magician doesn't reveal his secrets."

"You're not a magician."

"Of course I am."

"Dream about it. You'd reveal all your tricks before showing them."

"That's not true!"

"It is", Ashlyn tried to hide how much she enjoyed teasing him.

"Oh damn, okay! I give up. I'll tell you my secret then... I found it while saving the world as Chat Noir."

"Hey, I actually can imagine it!" she smirked. "But really. How did you find it?"

"I climbed on your roof to see what the world looks like from here."

"Okay, that's a little bit more possible."

They were quiet for a moment, watching clouds floating in the sky speckled with millions of shining dots.

"Damn, too bad I forgot to bring my speaker to play music." Aiden spoke up.

"I actually have earphones with me." Ashlyn took her airpods out of the pocket and handed him one. "What do you want to listen to?"

"May be something yours. You won't have to disconnect the airpods."

She shrugged.

"Alright."

"Let's see what do you listen to", he grinned.

"I don't know what are you talking about." she grabbed her phone and leaned back to lie on the roof surface. Aiden followed her as she turned a playlist on Spotify with liked 

"Is this 'Put Me in a Movie'?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I've heard this song so many times that I'm fed up with it."

"Mhm." 

"I don't like it."

"I don't like you."

He snorted.

"Say that again, Maybe I'll believe."

"You wanted the music, or am I wrong?"

"Oh fine, Pumpkin."

"You have one chance to rethink your actions and behave yourself."

"Please, Ash, change the song."

"Fine, Blondie."

She switched the song to the next song - Never Wanted to Dance. This song again, following her like a shade, one of her favorite.

"Woah- you listen to MSI?"

"You know this?"

"Are you kidding me?!" He laughed. "I showed you this song!"

"Really? I didn't remember."

"That was something like five months ago."

"That explains. So that's why it reminds me of you. Strange."

"Im not sure if I have anything in common with it. I never called you a fucking bitch, so I don't know what do you mean."

"That's why I found it strange."

They were watching stars for a few minutes, then Aiden giggled and Ashlyn expected everything except of what he actually said:

"Let's play Truth or Dare."

She was just out of words.

"Are you wondering or what?!"

"I'm not, that's was just random."

Do you think I want to play this shit now?"

"Why not?"

"How do you even want to dare? We're on the roof."

"If it's your only concern, we can play Truth. I'll be first then..."

"I didn't agree!"

"Don't you want to ask me everything you want to? I'll reply to every question, even the most personal or embarrassing. You can ask me what is the colour of my pants and I'll tell you."

"Wtf, I don't need to know the colour of your pants-"

"But you can ask me anything. Think about it, Ash."

Ashlyn didn't reply. She was tempted to say yes, there were so many things she wanted to know. She could ask him anything, but it probably meant he could ask her anything as well.

"Sooo?" Aiden smiled widely.

You live once, they say. Not true in her case, but...

"So what do you want to ask?"

"Wait." his eyes shone. "Did you actually..."

"Shut up and play."

He smiled wider. 

"My question is... what annoys you the most about me."

She didn't expect it as well. He could have asked her about it outside Truth or Dare - or Truth - whatever. Besides he already knew the answer.

"Don't count the fact I push your boundaries because I already know it."

Okay, nevermind then.

At least good thing that wasn't an uncomfortable question. Yet.

"Okay, then... I think you don't do it now like you used to, I guess... and maybe it was jus my impression, but at first I thought you only cared about adrenaline and strong emotions, not about us. I thought you were so selfish and weren't taking anything seriously, and had fun meanwhile the rest of us tried not to break down. Now I know it was just your way to survive and you actually care about us, a lot."

He was silent for a moment and Ashlyn got scared she hurt him, but then he chuckled.

"You're not that blind, Ashy. At least not as blind as yesterday."

"You're gonna tease me now?"

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. You're so teaseable."

"If it works like that, we shouldn't talk now, cause for me you're quite ignorable. And look, I don't ignore you because I'm not that rude."

"I don't believe it."

"Then don't. Okay, now it's my turn. I once wondered, what's the wildest thing you've ever done?"

"That's a good question, cause I've never really done anything so crazy I could call it my greatest stunt, if I can even call it like that."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, I guess- should I count my death?"

"Wasn't your intention... Yeah no. Now you ask."

"The last time you cried and why."

"Three weeks ago. I got a panic attack cause I was overstimulated after a stressful night."

"Were you alone?"

"Particularly."

"What do you mean?"

"Now it's my turn." she reminded. Distract him. "I'll change the song, I can't focus."

It was Heat Waves, way better.

"So, my question is - when are you going to buy me those five cinnamon rolls?"

"Dang, you still remember", he joked. "Okay, that's my fault I forgot. Just remind me later, okay?"

"Chill, I forgot too. I'll just tell you when I'm hungry."

Aiden nodded.

"Now me. What did you mean by particularly?"

Oh fuck you, Aiden.

"I texted you." she felt herself blushing and bored her eyes into the sky not to look at him.

"You... wait. Was that when you texted me at 4 am and I sent you bunch of memes, and then you accidentally told me you were feeling bad and didn't want to say why?"

"Yeah." Ashlyn replied before she realized it was another question.

"I..." He didn't finish and there was an awkward silence between them for several seconds. They were just listening to the lyrics.

~Heat waves been fakin' me out~

~Can't make you happier now~

"...I hope it helped you to talk to me."

"It did", she admitted.

He smiled in that genuine way.

"Are you having panic attacks sometimes too?" she asked.

"Rarely. I used to have them often some time ago, school put too much pressure and it overwhelmed me."

"You're good at math, aren't you? You're Rubik's cubes master."

"You think so?" he rubbed his neck. "It's just a hobby I always did to distract myself. But it's behind me, thanks god."

A hobby to distract yourself, huh?

So you had to do it way too often.

"Hope you're okay."

"Thanks", He looked at her gratefully. "But honestly hard to say, look at our life. It sucks."

"Hope, Aiden. Important thing."

"That's true. Alright, now me. What's your biggest fear?"

"Such a typical question."

"But a good one."

"My biggest fear is I'm afraid I'm not a good leader and I'd disappoint you."

"Still the bullshit, Ash? After what I told you last night?"

"I know, but it doesn't really make me less afraid."

"It's not possible to always take right decisions, sometimes all you can do is try your best."

"But the feeling I can always do better is killing me. I always have it in the corner of my mind that my ill-considered decisions may cause someone's death."

"You drive yourself crazy."

"I know", she shrugged.

But how could it be different after everything what happened?"

"After all, we'll always support you. Just support you, cause we're not as good at being the leader as you. you're the best leader ever, Pookie."

She was happy he couldn't see her blush.

"Thanks. Now my question..."

"You didn't told me to stop calling you Pookie."

"Cause you wouldn't stop, idiot." she didn't let him reply. "My question is: have you ever done something risky, which turned bad?"

"When I jumped off the wall and you got hurt because of my stupidness." 

"Oh." Ashlyn frowned. "Hold on- so you didn't manage to help me at first because of your twisted ankle?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't know."

They were silent for a moment.

"You know, I think we have something in common here", she added. "We both don't admit something is wrong not to bother others."

"Yeah, usually..." he laughed. " But you're a bit wrong. The truth is I didn't tell you because I was ashamed. All I thought was what does a person look like in your eyes who does something careless, confident that nothing will happen to him, and then something happens to him?"

He stared at his shoes when the song changed to Again by Noah Cyrus.

She looked at him with a little smile.

"You're so cute."

He turned to her, surprised.

"What?"

She felt herself getting hot as she realized how silly was what she just said. 

"You're, umm... nevermind." her face burned. "Your question..."

...Fuck. 

 "Why did you say I'm cute?" 

I knew, I damn knew!

"I don't know. Now my question, have you-"

"Hey, it's not an answer." 

"I don't know okay? I just called you cute cause you're cute, that's it."

He raised his eyebrow with a smile and she tried her best not to look away, what was especially difficult considering the lyrics playing in the background. 

I wanna be your lover

I don't wanna be your friend

She looked away. 

You don't know what you've got till it's gone, my dear

So tell me that you love me again

"Your question", he finally said. 

She blinked. 

"Yeah- right, what was that... Ah, have you ever had a crush on a fictional character." 

It sounded way worse than in her head. If he thought it too, he hid it perfectly. 

"Damn, I had. A few honestly, but I can tell you the last one cause it's my favourite and the less silly one. You get it, I used to have really weird crushes when I was little." 

"Now you got me curious." 

He reached for his phone and typed something, then showed her the screen. 

"Max Mayfield from Stranger Things?!"she glanced at him with disbelief. "Wow, this is kinda funny, actually... I completely can't imagine it."

"That was five years ago", he protested, turning off his phone. She was almost sure she saw him turn red in the light from the screen. 

Two tomatoes, crossed her mind. 

"Did you just laugh?" he leaned to study her face. "Oh duck, you did!" 

She pushed him away, trying to stop smiling. 

"Why did you like her actually?" she asked.

"I won't tell you."

"Why?" 

"Cause it's my turn now." 

"Oh fine, go on." 

"But I have to decide what to ask." 

Ashlyn rolled her eyes, also preparing the next question. She looked up at the sky, watching the clouds slowly floating across the sky. They covered the moon, stopping the silver rays from reaching their piece of Earth. 

"Ash, can I change the song?" Aiden asked. "I just remembered one that kind o fits the mood." 

"Sure". 

She handed him her phone and he typed something. The song changed. 

"I know it", she noticed. "It's called Star Shopping, right?"

He nodded. 

They were sitting in silence, staring at the sky and listening to music. 

"It's a sad song", Ashlyn whispered not to ruin the moment. It would somehow feel wrong to make unnecessary noise. 

"It is", he whispered back. "But it makes it pretty."

The wind picked up and Ashlyn shivered. it was getting colder and colder, and she was only wearing a hoodie.

Aiden glanced at her.

"You're cold."

"I'm okay, just a little."

He simply took of his jacket and put it on her shoulders.

"Hey, stop. You'll be cold now", she pushed his hand away, but he just ignored it. "Aiden!"

"I won't let you freeze. Besides I'm a guy."

"It has nothing in common."

"If course it has! I am more resistant to cold than you."

"Don't shit yourself."

"Yo momma."

They started laughing in the same time, though Ashlyn's laugh was so quiet it should be rather called a really small chuckle.

"Okay, my turn now!" he eventually said. "The most embarrassing thing that happened to you this year."

"Erm- When you called me Mrs. Clark...?"

He made a disturbingly realistic choking noise. 

"HELP- really? That was a joke!"

"I knoooooow", she mumbled. " But I freaked out."

She probably shouldn't have admitted that.

But damnit, who cares.

"I actually have a better nickname for you, but I probably wouldn't make it alive if I told you."

"I'd rather live in ignorance."

"Good choice. Now your question!"

"Wait, I have to remind myself... ummm, have you ever lied to me?"

"Nope."

"White lies count too."

"Okay, fine. I lied to you when you asked me if I'm okay and I said yes even though my head was throbbing like s, cause you were tired and there was no point in worrying you."

"Oh."

"What oh?"

"That's so kind."

"Bet you do the same. Only white lies, am I right?"

"...Maybe."

He chuckled. 

"See! Now my turn, right?" 

"Mhm."

"Sooo... is there a place you'd like to go with me? I mean if you ever saw a place and thought it'd be nice to go there with me." 

Ashlyn bit her lip.

Should I lie?

Or no...?

"Yes."

"Where is it?"

"Should I list?"

He didn't reply and Ashlyn glanced at him to meet his eyes. She took a deep breath, awfully aware there won't be coming back. 

The small piece of her wanted to know his reply so bad. 

"Karaoke bar", she started quietly before she managed to change her mind. "Carmen Tea at night. The forest behind the School Bus Graveyard. Daisy Park, That little cinema on Poppy Street, Kebab bistro next to twin's house, Trampoline park, Forest opera... Swan shaped pedal boats on the Valley Lake. Broadway, old town... Calla beach during sunrise... I don't remember more." 

He stared at her intensively. She returned his gaze, focusing on the red colour of his eye contacts. 

Her heart was pounding. 

"Are these..." Aiden didn't finish but his eyes spoke for him, asking what he didn't say aloud.

...date spots? 

Those places we came up with, trying to choose as prizes in a Valentine's Day competition? 

Places we both would like to go for a date?

"Yeah." 

He looked at the sky. 

"I don't understand it, Ash. Why are you like this?" 

"Like what?" she asked, not sure if she really wanted to hear it. 

"Like... I can't read you at all. I can't say what would you do next. I can't predict your next move, never. Why are you even friends with me?" 

"Why?" 

"I mean - you hated me at first, it was obvious. I guess being friends with me was the last thing you wanted to do, but then you suddenly told me to try our best to befriend. Why did you change your mind like that?" 

Ashlyn closed her eyes, listening to her quick heartbeat. 

Why? 

Cause she knew she'd have to somehow put up with him for a long time?

Or because she had realized he was worried and cared about her?

Or was it some kind of trauma bonding...? 

The questions ran through her head, but when she looked at him, something different came out of her mouth. 

"Maybe I just attached to you."

The words echoed in her head, making her realize she really said them aloud. Aiden's smile almost dissapeared, and she knew it meant he was focused on something else. 

On her. 

"Your turn." he whispered. 

And since she had lost her mind long ago, she let the words burning in her throat choke out.

"How much do you like me?" 

He opened his eyes widely. 

"What?" 

Ashlyn lost her breath now, too. 

"I mean- do you, umm... like me as much as we first met? Or more, or... maybe just different..." she spoke more quietly with each word. 

"It's a hard question... I can't really tell. Well, I like you more than Max Mayfield. 

Ashlyn unexpectedly snorted with laughter. 

"I don't really like her character, to be honest", she said and Aiden nodded in reply. 

She felt so embarassed. 

Obviously he wouldn't want to reply to such a weird and uncomfortable question. She just went too far, of course he also had his boundaries. 

Please, forget I asked... 

He didn't say anything else and Ashlyn tried to focus on the lyrics of the song "I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend' to stop overthinking. She raised her head to look at the sky, frantically looking for anything to fill the silence. Her eyes fell on the moon, which had finally emerged from the clouds. It was full, white and bright. 

"Look at the moon", she pointed at the sky with her head, trying to change he topic. "It's beautiful tonight, isn't it?" 

They watched it for a moment, then Ashlyn felt his eyes on her. 

~ I don't wanna be your friend, I wanna kiss your lips

She turned her face to him. 

~ I wanna kiss you until I lose my breath

Aiden's smile became smaller. His gaze moved to her lips and then quickly returned to her eyes, just a second before he leaned over and kissed her.

In the cheek, not in the lips. But so near he reached the corner of her mouth.

Ashlyn froze.

Her heart stopped as she tried to understand what was happening. Everything stopped.

And before she did anything, he moved away.

~ I don't wanna be your friend, I wanna kiss your lips

She blinked, trying to process what just happened.

Oh God.

Oh my God...

~ I wanna kiss you until I lose my breath

God. 

"Uh... Ash?" Aiden asked, biting his lip.

She looked away, foolishly hoping if she doesn't look him at the eyes, he won't notice she was blushing. The blood was rushing in her ears, so she pulled an airpod out of her ear and closed her eyes, as if it would help. 

"...what the fuck, Aiden", she whispered.

"I..."

"You kissed me."

"Yeah." he said so quietly she barely heard it.

Ashlyn's hand twitched and she resisted in the last moment before it raised to touch the place on the cheek where his lips were several seconds before. She raised her eyes to his and gasped in the same moment which in something broke inside her.

All the feelings and thoughts she tried to shut for so long exploded in one second, coming to her so brutally and unexpectedly that she lost her breath.

Now there wasn't anything more important than him.

And she stopped resisting.

She just hid her face in her hands to hide her red face and let the smile appears on her face.

He kissed me, fucking amazing. 

"Ash, I...I'm so sorry, it wasn't..." he took a deep breath. "Tyler challenged me to kiss you."

Her heart stopped.

"W-what...?"

"I'm sorry", he repeated.

Ashlyn raised her eyes to look at him. He wasn't looking at her.

Was I wrong?

"I think... I don't understand."

"It was a challenge." he repeated. "I'm really sorry, I... Listen, I know I shouldn't have done that. I know I cross your boundaries all the time, but... Fuck, I screwed so bad", this time he hid his face in his hands.

She was out of words, trying to understand what he said.

It was just a challenge.

So he didn't like her back.

If he did, he wouldn't have said that.

Breathe. 

He finally looked up at her, trying to read her face.

"Ashlyn...?"

She stared at him, feeling like he just stabbed her.

"Ash, please say something", he tried to smile, but to no avail.

She took a deep breath.

"It didn't happen."

Aiden blinked.

"W-what...?"

She clutched her fingers on her hoodie to stop the panic. 

"Just... just pretend it didn't happen, okay? Let's act like nothing happened."

He was silent for a moment.

"Okay...", Heach said slowly. " Okay, fine. Nothing... happened."

It hurted.

Breathe! 

"We should go", she said quickly and got up.

"Right... it's late".

The whole way down Ashlyn couldn't breathe. She was suffocating with the air, barely managed to get inside her room.

"Night", Aiden said not looking at her, as she turned to close the window, and disappeared in a darkness before she could say anything.

Ashlyn fell on a floor next to the window and hid her face in her hands. The tears appeared in her eyes.

"Stop", she whispered, but her cruel eyes started to produce more and more tears.

When she finally let herself feel what her mind and body wanted to feel a long time ago, let all her thoughts out, sure he felt the same - it turned out she was wrong, and now she couldn't take them back. She desperately tried to push away everything she finally managed to let go of.

"Stop!" Ashlyn cried, wiping her burning face. "Not now! I can't now... fucking..."

...like him.

________

Did you think it would be the end of the slow burn? Sorry, wrong fanfic.

AWHHWHHHHHHHHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHHAAAAJJJAAJJJKDKCUJDJSUXUDJHSHEUEUZNBXJSWKKSJSJZJXJXJJXIFINALLYFINISHEDTHISSSSS 

Im so excited awhhhhhhhhh it's almost 4500 words hsjdikxndhhsiksjuxjdnhfh

POOKIES YOU CAN SCOLD ME HERE FOR MAKING YOU AND AIDLYN SUFFER but I enjoy it sorry >>

Also I have to thank you all for staying here until now, and I PROMISE the slow burn will be finished soon!! (But now yet hehehe)

Btw I actually started this chapter before the Night part which was random, so this truth and dare combo is a coincidence :P

Have a nice day or night, I love y'all 💗