♡♡♡

You'll stay with me?

Until the very end.

♡♡♡

N o t e

This chapter was a bit hard to write, but I hope I gave it what it deserved and I hope you guys enjoy it!

Now excuse me while I go sob.

xoxo

♡♡♡

"What the actual fuck?"

"Aaron! James is here!"

James merely shrugged, clutching Rose's hand tighter. "It's alright," he told her, "I'm used to it."

Damien just grinned. "I didn't know we were going to get a welcoming party." George chuckled at that.

Aaron clutched the straps of the bags tighter in his hands. "Luke,"

The hazel eyed boy smiled sheepishly. "Welcome back?"

"You mean all this time while I was away you were –"

"Not all the time," Luke reasoned, and Rose could hear Aiden's yells of Yes! Beat that Motherfucker! in the living room. "Most of the time," he clarified, an eyebrow quirked. "There's a difference."

"Luke –"

"James!" Luke grinned at the little boy, ruffling his hair. He picked him up and balanced him against his hip. "How are you doing little man?"

James smiled big. "I'm fine, Luke. It's been a while."

"Wait, so you know him?"

It was Damien, and Luke stared at him for a few seconds before asking, "I'm sorry, but you are...?"

"Damien, Damien DeGarner," he answered, offering his hand, "I'm Aaron's elder brother."

Luke's stare turned almost hostile. "So I've heard."

Aaron just patted Luke's shoulder and smiled.

"Rose," Luke gave her a hug, smiling. "I missed you."

"Me too," she replied, grinning. "Aaron's been so lonely without you it's getting clingy."

Aaron snorted but said nothing.

"The rest are in there," Luke said, glancing at the living room. He then noticed the multiple bags on George's arm. "Hey George, let me help you with that. You all get nice and comfortable."

"Comfortable my ass, you probably wrecked my house."

"Our house Aaron," Luke corrected.

Aaron let out an annoyed sigh as he took Rose's hand and led them to the living room. James was so excited; taking in Aaron's apartment with sparkling eyes and a bright smile. Damien was flat out bored, his eyes roaming around the apartment with pursed lips.

Inside the living room was even messier, with half eaten pizza boxes, empty juice boxes and coke bottles lying around. Rose could've sworn she saw Aaron's ears release steam.

"Oh hey," Rose felt like it has been ages since she has seen Aiden's signature smirk. "Didn't see you there."

The room became silent; Andrew obviously pausing his video game as they took in the new guests. Aaron's cheeks were a light pink.

"I'll go unpack and tuck James to bed," Aaron told Rose, leaving her a quick kiss to the forehead, "so if anyone bothers you, tell them that telly is cable and that you know how to unplug it." Rose actually laughed at that.

Damien shrugged. "I'll go with my brother," he said. "I have a few questions for him, so if you'll excuse me."

Rose watched as the three brothers moved away hand in hand, and she could feel her heart soften at the sight.

"I didn't know we were receiving guests," Aiden said, glancing at James, "if I did, I would've left some juice."

"And maybe cleaned this place up a bit. Goddammit I knew this was a bad idea,"

It was Andrew and Rose was already wrapped in his arms as she giggled. "Andrew!" she said, smiling. "I missed you!"

Even Tristan went ahead and gave her a hug, but there was a huge patch of magenta on his cheeks and it was only then that Rose realized that there was a girl next to him.

The girl was so tiny next to Tristan, but she was a couple inches taller than Rose. Her black hair was so luscious that it cascaded down her shoulders and reached her waist. Her brown eyes were so sparkly that Rose wondered if her eyes could ever be that pretty.

No.

Her eyes were enough; they always were.

Rose smiled at the Asian girl, clearly intrigued. "Hi," she chirped, noticing how the jeans she was wearing made her legs look adorable. Even her sweater had SpongeBob on it. "I don't think we've met."

Her pale cheeks glowed with specks of pink. She smiled bashfully before shaking Rose's hand. "I'm Aura," the girl said, and even her voice sounded so shy and adorable that Rose wanted to kill her with teddy bears, "Aura Mae." the girl continued, smiling. "You must be Rose," she said.

Rose nodded, looking at Aura in question. "You know me?"

Aura nodded, her rosy lips stretched into a delicate smile. "Tristan told me all about you."

"Tristan...?" Rose glanced at the blonde haired boy and internally grinned at his pink kissed cheeks and embarrassed eyes. "Oh," Rose said, smiling, "silly me." She looked closely at Aura. "You're the girl that got first place in the Bitterne High University Program aren't you?"

Aura's cheeks flushed again. "Yeah," she mumbled, shrugging, "it was luck really."

Tristan shook his head. "She's practically Einstein," he said.

"Stop it," Aura muttered, and it was hard for Rose to not grin, "I don't even know how I got it. The judges were probably stoned or something."

Rose laughed.

"You got third place," Aura said, smiling. "That's how I got to know your name. Tristan was the one who told me all about you then – you know, with him being second place and all."

"Okay Rose everything is packed and Damien is taking a shower and – oh." Aaron's voice quieted down as he noticed Aura. "So you fuckers decided to have a guest with my house looking like this?"

Our house! Luke shouted from somewhere, probably the kitchen.

Rose snorted. "Why do you sound so surprised?" She then noticed Aura's questioning gaze and said, "Oh and that's Aaron, my boyfriend." It was always hard saying it out loud and not feeling her face go warm.

But Aura smiled, but there was a bit of uneasiness on the corner of her lips. "He's seriously tall."

Tristan shrugged. "You'll get used to it," he said.

"Yeah," Aura muttered, "especially if I am sticking around you for long." Rose wanted to squeal over the red that flamed Tristan's ears.

"Nice to meet you," Aaron gave her a small smile and nod. "Now if you fuckers don't get this mess cleaned up, I will change the locks to my house, I swear it."

"Our house!" Luke yelled, flinging the door open with frustration. "For God's sake, after all this time I still am not concerned a partial owner?"

Rose was the one that answered. "Always," she replied, and Aaron laughed.

Aiden looked quizzically at Aaron. "What's so funny? Luke's practically sobbing now."

Aaron's smile still shone from his lips as he tried to hide it. "Nothing that concerns you," he said simply, shrugging.

Filthy muggle, Aaron whispered so quietly that only Rose could pick it up. It was her turn to giggle.

"But where's Lana?" Rose asked, her lips settled in a thin line.

"She's coming in a bit," Aiden was the one who replied, the pink of his ears a clear enough answer to Rose. "She said she wanted to come when the house would be somewhat decent."

"Oh for fuck's sake," Aaron muttered, rubbing his hand over his eyes. "You mutations made guests aware of the diabolical mess you make in my house."

"Our house!"

♡♡♡

"I'm sorry, but who are you again?"

Damien's hair was dripping small droplets of water into his eyes, which he had to rub away, but his eyes were still looking in question at all of Aaron's friends.

"For the eighth time," Aiden said exasperated, "I am Aiden and he is Andrew." he said pointing at Andrew. "It's really not that hard."

"It is when you have Andrew, Aiden, Aaron," Damien replied, shrugging. "Forgive me if I have offended you."

Lana was here and she was looking at Damien like he was a God that just visited the human world. "Hot damn," she whispered to Rose, her eyes still trained on Aaron's elder brother, "Aaron's got himself a good looking elder brother." Rose could see Aiden give them dirty looks every now and then.

Damien nodded at them all. "I wasn't aware that my little brother had this much company," he said, taking a sip of his tea (He was still being very British about everything.)

"Stop calling me little," Aaron muttered, pursing his lips, "you're only two years elder than me."

"Three," Damien corrected, his eyes gleaming in amusement. "You're not eighteen yet."

"He will be," Rose answered, "in a few weeks."

"Until then," Damien said, grinning. "Three years." he said to Aaron.

"It's hard to believe you both are related," Aura said, and Rose could see her hands interlocked with Tristan's, "I mean you both look so alike but like you're both so different."

Aaron shrugged. "We have another little brother, he looks nothing like us."

Damien nodded in approval. "He took after our Mother; Aaron and I took after dear Father."

"Must be a genetically perfect family," Lana muttered beside Rose, to which they both giggled to. Aiden's hard stare was on them again.

"I never knew Aaron had an elder brother," Andrew said.

"Well to be fair, I never knew Aaron had friends," Damien replied.

Andrew grinned. "Fair enough," he replied.

"Interesting apartment Aaron," Damien said nonchalantly, sipping on his tea.

"Aaron and Luke," Luke insisted with a tight smile on his lips. "But thanks anyway, it took a long time to perfect."

Aaron cringed, and Rose could see in tinge of insecurity that managed to slip into his eyes. "It's what I can afford," he managed to say.

"Understandable," Damien replied, his eyes focused on the shattered ceiling.

Rose squeezed Aaron's hand. It's okay, she mouthed smiling.

He smiled back the smile that Rose had lingering in her daydreams.

"In all honesty," Damien said, "I thought this place would be much worse."

Aaron sighed. "It would be better if Luke didn't trash it."

"I do have a partial right to, being part owner and everything."

"It's my house Luke,"

"Our house," he repeated in a painful voice.

♡♡♡

"No – no, no, no, no!"

Andrew's voice was a roar as his eyes widened in disbelief at the screen; his hands clutching his controller so hard Rose thought he was going to break it.

"Jesus what...no...I – how – ugh."

Andrew was a mess of groaning and inaudible swearing as Rose grinned; watching as the dark haired boy buried himself in the little cushions Aaron's sofa had.

Aura was grinning as she battled Andrew in another game of Unearthly Part 2 (Which he did manage to get his hands on.) "Well, that's that."

"No..." Andrew said, putting his face in his hands. "My heart...my pride..."

Rose was the first one that laughed.

"Better luck next time," Aura shrugged, offering Andrew a cheery smile. But there was a triumph in her voice that made Rose grin. "I'll go easy on you, I promise."

Andrew shot her a dirty look. "If you think I will accept any form of game pity, then you are wrong." His shoulders slumped again. "No..."

Aura was all smiles. "I tried letting you win," she admitted, "you're just an idiot."

"I introduced you to this game!"

"Honestly, who hasn't heard of it?"

"Wait," Aiden said, "you played this before?"

"Of course," Aura replied, "trials are all over the internet. I was even planning on buying it."

Andrew looked at her dumbfounded. "You know what," he muttered, "kindness can be a pain in the ass."

Aura laughed. "You're only upset because you underestimated me."

He gave her an innocent shrug. "Can you blame me? You got first place in that University shit. In my offense, that meant you knew nothing about video gaming."

Aura smiled, and there was mischief laced in it. "I even know some cheats in this game."

Andrew's mouth dropped open. "Shut. Up."

Tristan looked amazed the whole time he was there; green eyes glimmering with sincere awe as he watched Aura. It was hard not freaking out over how adorable the whole situation was.

"Well I have to get going," Aura said, getting up and offering them all a smile, "I'll see you all later."

"Let me drop you off," Tristan said almost immediately, grabbing his jacket from the sofa before he waved a feeble smile to them and hurried after Aura.

Rose quickly darted to the window, and it only took a few more seconds before she could see Tristan and Aura together; huddled warmly against each other.

There was an innocent air around both of them, and Rose let out a quiet squeal. Lana was beside her in moments, and they both squealed together. Even in the dark of the night Rose could see Aura's ebony hair.

It became clutching onto Lana's shoulder when Tristan leaned down and kissed Aura right on the mouth – Oh my God are you seeing this Lana I can't handle it right now – and Lana did have her fair share of squeals and shoulder clutching.

"She's been around for a while," Lana told Rose, smiling, "Tristan introduced her to us three days after the results for the whole University thing came out."

Rose smiled. "Really?"

Lana nodded. "He seemed to really like her," she continued, smiling big. "It's actually really adorable."

"Speaking of adorable," Rose grinned, "how are things with you and Aiden?"

Scarlet scattered across Lana's cheeks, and there was a sort of bewilderment in her eyes. "H-How did you know about that?"

"It was kinda obvious," Rose shrugged.

Lana let out a nervous laugh. "I was going to tell you about it I swear –"

Rose shook her head, smiling. "It's fine Lana, really. I respect your privacy as much as you respect mine."

Tears sprung to Lana's eyes. "You mean that?" she asked quietly. "You're not mad at me?"

"Why would I be?" Rose said, and Lana engulfed her in a big hug.

"I'll tell you everything, I promise," she said, sniffling.

"Can't wait to hear it," Rose smiled.

♡♡♡

"You've been awfully quiet," Aaron said, adjusting his shoulder so Rose's head could curve seamlessly into it. "Something wrong?"

"No," Rose said, snuggling to Aaron's side, "just listening to you read."

Aaron quirked a questioning eyebrow. "I have grown accustomed to your snide comments and unnecessary sarcasm," he admitted, "hence why I feel awfully weird right now with you being all quiet."

Andrew, Aidan and Luke eventually left and Damien was fast asleep with James in Aaron's bedroom, while George took the couch.

Rose thought it was lovely seeing Damien claim James to be with him, reasoning that James should be as comfortable as he can while he was here.

The subtle light of the moon glittered the yellow in Aaron's eyes. Rose thought that every time she went to his bookroom, the more she fell in love with it. Same thing with Aaron. "It's your favourite book," Rose reasoned, yawning, "I want you to read it without any distractions."

Aaron smiled a smile that indented his right dimple. "How very chivalrous of you."

Rose laughed. "And I am also a bit tired."

Aaron bookmarked their page and gave Rose a small kiss to her temple. "I am tired too," Rose knew he was lying, but her eyes were already so close to sealing shut. "We'll continue tomorrow."

"Okay," Rose yawned again, giving Aaron a sleepy smile.

"I'm glad we came on time," Aaron wrapped Rose with one more blanket. With the windows open, cold gushes of midnight wind was breezing through the room. He then settled down on the mattress and propped himself on one of the pillows. "Graduation is in two days I think, so it's great being back early. I promised Andrew we'd be here by then." He smiled lightly. "And they announce the winners of the Bitterne High University Program," he told Rose, the grin in his voice tickling her ears. "Care to be my date for my graduation Rose?"

Rose let out a lazy laugh. "Jesus Aaron," she said smiling. "you're so corny."

He let out an amused laugh. "Is that a yes?"

"Of course it is you moron."

"Good," Aaron said, making himself comfortable, "I wouldn't know what to do if you said no."

"Probably ask me again just to double check," Rose said.

Aaron's laugh shook Rose's bones so beautifully she almost gasped. "Probably," he admitted, and even in the dimness of the room, she could make out the pink of his cheeks.

Rose felt more awake from how fast her heart was beating. But she laughed. "You're such a dork," she said.

"But you love this dork," Aaron said, and instantly Rose could see his smile falter away. "Sorry," he apologized, "I would never mean imply that you love me, like I would never intentionally say it in your face because I mean sometimes it seems hard to believe. God I'm rambling but –"

Rose kissed him. Long.

She laughed quietly after. "You think too much," she told him, her eyes trained on Aaron. "I do love you, and there's nothing wrong with admitting something that's true."

Aaron's eyes gleamed turquoise; like they always do when he's embarrassed. Rose was brushing hair off his eyes. But his gaze was so focused on her it took every bit of self control to not look away.

"I don't know what's the matter with me Rose," Aaron told her, the quietness of his voice enlightening the British in his tone. "I guess when it comes to you, I'm always trying not to jinx it."

Rose laughed. "Why? I might go away?"

Aaron shrugged. "Who knows? I know I'm not going anywhere," he told her, smiling a sleepy grin. "Maybe you'll find a Harry and leave me for him."

"Well if he had a wand I will," Rose admitted sheepishly, making a chuckle rumble in Aaron's chest. "I love you Aaron," she whispered, kissing his forehead. "I mean it."

He smiled, eyes closed. "I know you do Rose," he whispered back, "I know you do." he repeated. There was such gentleness in his voice that Rose couldn't help but pull him closer. "It's just sometimes it still amazes me that you do."

Rose could see each and every single one of Aaron's eyelashes. They almost looked like fine brush strokes that beautifully framed his ethereal eyes. "You never give yourself credit," she said quietly.

And she was kissing him; eyes closed and hearts open, Rose was kissing Aaron so earnestly that she felt she was exposing herself to him raw and full. And she meant it. She wanted to tell Aaron that anybody would be lucky enough to love him – that loving him was a blessing that came only in whispered prayers.

"I love you," she whispered to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Now and always."

He smiled at her. "I love you too."

They sealed it with a kiss like they always did.

♡♡♡

"Wait Lana, what in the world are you doing?" Rose almost screamed, her eyes wide in fright. "It's – it's that thing again!"

Aura looked at Lana, and grinned. "You mean an eyelash curler?"