How to Survive as a BL Villain-Chapter 61: They didn’t leave

After this whole thing cassian fell asleep aiden laying on his side still conflicted about his feelings leonel was sitting on the chair looking down on the floor deep in thoughts

Leonel looked at aiden and saw him wide awake and he looked troubled he got up and tapped on aiden shoulder wanna go out and sit?

Aiden looked at leonel then at cassian and slowly got up from the bed without waking up cassian and nodded they both opened the door

The moment the bedroom door clicked shut behind them, the silence between Aiden and Leonel didn’t feel empty it felt heavy, like the air before a storm that never breaks.

Aiden sank onto the couch, staring at his hands like they belonged to someone else. Leonel stood by the window, arms crossed, back to him, watching the streetlights flicker on one by one. Neither spoke for a full minute. Then

"I knew him," Aiden said, voice flat, hollow. "Not the guy who woke up in his skin. The real one although I didn’t love him like I love cassi- I mean Elliot but he was still my friend for years we have shared so many memories my heart feels very weird with everything that happened today my friend died or dissapeared someone else came and I wasn’t even able to tell that elliot wasn’t cassian? Even tho I been with him like from years ....

Leonel didn’t turn. But his voice, when it came, was softer than Aiden had ever heard it.

"I didn’t know the real Cassian. I only knew the one who laughed at my terrible jokes and let me borrow his hoodie even when it smelled like his socks. The one who didn’t flinch when I hugged him after a bad day. The one who looked at me like I mattered even when he didn’t say it." He turned then, eyes red but steady. "That boy... he wasn’t him. But he was there. And I loved him. Not because he was Cassian. Because he was him. He never ran away from us never tried to hurt us specially not you "

Aiden looked up.

Leonel stepped forward, sat down beside him.

"We didn’t lose him," he said. "We lost a name. A face. A past." He reached out, slowly, and placed his hand over Aiden’s hand. "But we didn’t lose him. Not the way he looks at you when you’re being an idiot. Not the way he holds his coffee like it’s the only thing keeping him grounded. Not the way he says ’I’m still me’ like he’s finally remembering who he is."

Aiden’s breath hitched.

"Do you think... he’ll ever forgive himself?"

Leonel didn’t answer right away.

He just leaned his head against Aiden’s shoulder.

"I think," he whispered, "he already has.

And if we’re going to love him...

you have to stop feeling the guilty about him and cassian because it will get hurtful if you don’t .

"dont stop loving the guy who stayed even knowing u might start hating him once you learn the truth."

They sat there not hugging. Not crying.

Just holding on.

To each other.

To the truth.

To the boy who’d walked out of hell

and chose to stay with them anyway.

On the other side Cassian woke in the dark.

Not with a start.

Not with a gasp.

But with the slow, heavy realization that the warmth beside him was gone.

The bed was cold.

He sat up slowly, blinking against the dim glow of the streetlamp outside his window. His throat felt raw. His eyes, swollen. He didn’t remember crying. But the dampness on his cheeks told him otherwise.

He reached for his phone on the nightstand which was glowing with notification

It buzzed again.

A new message.

From him.

> "They left you alone in your room after knowing what you are... didn’t they?"

Cassian stared at the words.

His fingers hovered over the screen.

He read it again.

Then again.

Each letter carved into his ribs like a knife.

They left you alone.

Not they went to talk.

Not they needed space.

Not they’re figuring it out.

They left you alone.

The words didn’t scream.

They whispered.

And that was worse.

Because it wasn’t a threat.

It was a truth one he’d been too afraid to name.

They know. And still... they walked away.

His breath hitched.

He thought of last night the coffee, the silence, the way Aiden’s hand had rested on his knee like it belonged there. The way Leonel had pressed his forehead to his skin like he was memorizing him.

He thought of how they’d looked at him not with fear. Not with disgust.

But with something softer.

Something he’d dared to believe was love.

And now... this.

He didn’t cry out.

Didn’t scream.

Didn’t throw the phone.

He just... closed his eyes.

And let the tears come.

Hot. Silent. Relentless.

He didn’t wipe them.

He just curled into himself, pulling the blanket over his head like it could hide him from the world. From the truth.

They know. And they’re not here.

He didn’t hate them.

He just... missed them.

And for the first time since he woke up in this body,

he didn’t feel like it was okay to be here.

He felt like a mistake. That he shouldn’t be here it’s someone else’s life.

Morning came too soon.

The light was pale.

The air was quiet.

Cassian didn’t shower.

Didn’t brush his teeth.

Didn’t look in the mirror.

He just pulled on yesterday’s hoodie the one Aiden had left on his chair and walked out of his room.

The door creaked open.

He paused.

There, on the couch

Aiden was asleep, head tilted back, mouth slightly open.

Leonel was curled beside him, forehead resting on Aiden’s shoulder, one arm draped over his chest, the other hand curled loosely around the edge of the cushion.

They hadn’t left.

They’d stayed.

Right there.

On the couch.

Together.

Cassian stood in the doorway, frozen.

His breath caught.

He hadn’t heard them come in.

Hadn’t felt them move.

They’d waited.

For him.

To wake up.

To be okay.

He didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

He just watched.