[Aaron]

*~*~*

Reason.

A word that implies subjectivity and objectivity.

He has money, so naturally he uses it. Correct?

After all, there is no point in letting it sit there till the day he lies in a coffin.

But to some, his money is limited to that. Just. Money.

To some, it doesn't imply the years of life he had spent slaving away with knowledge constantly fed to him.

Just because he has money, and he is conditioned to use it, does it make him a pompous, boneless shell?

A certain someone doesn't think so.

Because he knows how hard money is earned,

He knows no matter how much of it you have, effort is involved.

And he respects it. Why?

Because he knows there's a reason.

Reason behind the existence of his wealth,

Reason behind the lack of empathy.

He knows not exactly why or how his life carried out up till now, or what those reasons are;

But he knows, full well, that the rich man is a human. And not a shell for numbers on a bank account.

And to this certain someone, the mere fact that he exists is enough for him to respect it;

But the fact that he is a human, means he is capable of love;

Regardless of how foreign the idea of 'love' might be.

This certain someone will make sure he gives all he has and more to the rich man.

*~*~*

"Sorry for pulling you away from Felix and the rest..." I apologize sincerely. Looking at the sunset and reminiscing at how much I've enjoyed the day. It's a simply a day off for me in all seriousness, call me biased but I haven't had one in ages and even a children's carnival sounds exquisite.

"Oh no, it's fine. Really." Skylar skips through the still busy carnival. Kids yelling in excitement everywhere. It isn't a scene I would normally be interested in, but I think for Skylar it is... worth it. "I know you're a busy man. So every second I get to spend with my new friend is cool."

I cringe but also smile at the word 'friend'. It's a contradictory feeling, really. That is all I am to him right now, but surprisingly, that's way more than I ever had. All those women that I've met interest me no further than the... sex. So they aren't exactly friends, not that I don't find them attractive, I am bisexual but I never had that emotional click. But at the same time, I would like to be more with him, take care of him and love him.

But right now, friends. That's all. And I'm fine with it... maybe.

"Running a big company must be tiring. I hope you found today fun and relaxing. You..." Skylar trails off and looks very serious for a second, then, he squints his eyes, scrunches his nose and sneezes. "... Look like you need a little more fun."

I shrug my jacket off and put it around Skylar, he mumbles a faint thank you and snuggles into my cologne dowsed jacket. I may have drifted off thinking about what I thought is a 1-on-1 date this morning while I was spraying my scent. But details, who needs them. It's not like there's enough cologne on that piece of clothing to start a fire. Good job Aaron! Embarrassing yourself one article of clothing a time.

"Yeah... I do." I frown and look down, itching to speak my mind to him but nothing is coming out. One of those moments where I have many words that don't come together cohesively to form a half decent sentence. You'd think having to deal with business partners every day would make me any sort of fluent, but evidently, not the case for this guy. "Look, Skylar. I... I'm really interested in you. I get that I'm probably a bit too old for you, but I really do think we can build something. So, would you like to go out with me some time?"

My throat parches when I notice him fiddle with his pants' draw strings, eventually looking up, frowning. "Are you sure?" He simply asks, "I don't want to mess up your schedule. I don't know exactly what important people do, but I know they have tons of stuff going around." He is deep in thought and his thoughtful expression is nothing short of adorable.

I can feel anxiety crawling up, I didn't expect him to not get me, but I suppose I haven't been explicit enough with him. "I mean a date Skylar. You know, we can go on my yacht, have dinner at the hotel buffet? Like a boyfriend and boyfriend date. Or potential boyfriend."

His frown disappears, then he looks straight at me in the eyes. "Why would you want that?"

I am lost for words. Is that to spite me for not being good enough? Is it a polite turn down? Genuine query? Me being over analytical? Probably the last.

"How about I tell you a secret..." He says quietly. "I... I've never felt romantic attraction to anyone. I like the idea of being in love, I want to... but I haven't."

Whoa what the fuck? Skylar just plunged into the San Andreas Fault, that's some deep shit.

"I wouldn't say I'm asexual because I still want to date someone. Felix did some research for me and said I'm demi-sexual." Skylar's energy is coming back, the smile on his face says it all. "It means I can't love without a serious emotional connection."

"O-oh... right..." I don't know how to carry on, I'm not giving up on this, but at the same time, I've never dealt with such a sexual identification. Pardon my ignorance and not discrediting him or anything, I never knew such a thing existed, there really isn't another way to put it but I'm in a tough spot here. Rejection is not something I am familiar with since people either automatically fall to their knees for me or don't oppose because of my status. It sounds terribly pompous but it is as true as it gets.

"So I guess love isn't for me." Skylar shrugs briefly. He looks down, all that's visible to me is the top of his damp and messy brown hair but I can tell he is indeed upset. "I'm sorry Aaron."

I've never felt so hurt at the sight of someone being so down. "It's all good Skylar. How about we go out, just us two but as friends?"

His face lights up, "Okie! But I don't want the yacht and the hotel stuff, I just want to go bowling." He continues down the path we are taking, "I'll have you know I am great at bowling. Felix taught me himself!"

Then it hit me.

Felix has been with him for a long, long time. Any sort of connection there would have been made if it was up to time. Does this mean Skylar is in love with Felix? I wouldn't pass that he doesn't realize his love since he's so naïve but there is a very big possibility there.

~

"Are you sure you don't want me to drop you off at the restaurant? I can drive you there easily."

"No no. I'm fine. I didn't get to exercise this morning so I could use a little walk." Skylar rocks on his heels for a moment then smiles up at me. His sneakers are exceptionally clean, and from the laces I can tell they are not new whatsoever. Maybe I can get a pair of shoes for him as a gift. But that'd require his shoe size and I'm not about to drop to my knees and dig through his pair of sneakers for a number. Asking would just make things worse.

"Alright. See you soon." I display a smile of my own. His tiny hands grip my shoulder and he stand on his tip toes before placing a light kiss on my cheek.

"Make sure to smile more!" Skylar waves and turns to leave, pulling out his phone at the same time. He's a cutie. I like him very much.

"... then I Sammy helped me, he is super cool... like... like he could throw the ball so hard and all the cans went down. It was so cool!" A little girl rambles enthusiastically. I feel something bump into my ass and quickly turn around.

It is the same little girl, "Sorry mister! I didn't see you there..." I realize that at one point I had stopped walking.

"Oh no it's fine. Sorry for stopping suddenly." I hear a huff and look up, it's Roman. Ah fuck.

I already know Felix and Roman both don't like me much, probably because of all that 'pompous rich bastard' bullshit. I mean, I'm not a bad person. Some people just don't give me a chance. Or all people. Except Skylar. I mean fair enough, I don't dress like a normal person would and it's not my fault that I have a reputation to uphold. I didn't even want to be a businessman, I just want a simple 9 to 5 job that I enjoy, not a 24/7 weekends included cluster fuck of a company to run.

"I didn't know you have a daughter." My response came immediately when my nervous eyes meet his. Deep in my head I know that he has a possibility of being a father, he does seem very responsible and grounded. He looks about my age so I assume he's around the age of having children though, a 6 year old would mean he had her in university. Roman is perhaps a little lacking emotionally but nothing a good wife can't fix.

"Not my kid. My sister." Instead of thoughts about how big the age gap would have to be or why aren't his parents here to take care of her. I can only think about the faint glow in his dead blue eyes. "How about instead of blocking the ongoing flow of children, you move along so I can get my sister some candy floss? Sound like a plan? Good, now move."

I look down at his sister, whose name I gathered is Paris, from the little tag on her dress. "How about I offer you candy floss as an apology?" I look up at Roman, "Seems like we all need something sweet in our system."

"I don't eat diabetic clouds of sugar."

"Neither. But, someone clearly does." Looking down at an excited Paris, chanting 'thank you's over and over. I already like the kid, proving a point to his brother. After that rain checked date with Skylar I am motivated to at least try and be friends with this sack of tasteless beef. A lot of beef for a man of his stature.

~

"My teacher didn't come with us today so I was a little upset. But then my subtitu... subsis..."

"Substitute." Roman corrects. I am slightly shocked that he even pays attention to a fraction of the conversation his sister makes.

"Yeah that, she was really nice too but Mr. Cookie is still my favorite, he gave us all lollipops last week. He kept his pinky promise so I think he's cool." Paris takes a chunk of candy floss and sticks it in her mouth, kicking her feet like any 6-year-old would.

I look at Roman's barely eaten 'diabetic cloud of sugar', then thought of a snarky comment. "You know what would look good on you?" He turns to me, raising a perfect eyebrow that was blocked by his glasses' frame previously. "Instead of that brown beard, a pink diabetic cloud of sugar would be a nice fix."

"He should have a pink hair band and pink hair and wear a pink shirt." Paris is quick to add. I wouldn't mind a bit of pink chest hair and pu... too far Aaron, too damn far. "Mister Aaron, do you know how to do a fish braid?"

Surprisingly. I do. Maybe I am more gay than I thought.

Up till now, Roman hasn't said a word, but he hasn't left either, so I must be doing something right here. Or just not pissing him off enough to make him leave me alone in a sea of children.

"Fuck." Roman curses under his breath, eyeing the crowed intensely. All I can see is children and a couple of adults. My eyes shift to the now completed braid of Paris, I tie the hair band tight and shift my eyes to Roman. His face is just riddled and layered in pure hurt and agony.

"Oh my baby! Surprise!" I hear a woman say, a man and two luggage in tow. "We came back early for you! How is the new school?"

"It's really cool! I met many friends..." I stare wide eyed as the pair took Paris from us. Not sparing a glance at Roman and I. Must be her parents... and by extension Roman's parents? Why did they not say anything to him?

"Fucking hell." Roman swipes a thumb under his left eye. I can tell he is crying, there must be some history there. Not knowing how to respond I place a gentle hand on his shoulder, he seemingly leans into the touch slightly, only to flinch away when he realized what he is doing. "I'm leaving."

"O-oh. Okay." He quickly stands, cursing every time he walks into a kid, just loud enough for himself though. Tainting children with language that they shouldn't know would be the lowest of lows. Okay maybe not, now I'm just trying my best to distract myself from the a 6"7' man that is crying and running away from a primary schoo carnival.

Not trying to discredit his emotions or anything. Just having a mental break down myself, trying to make him feel better about his own mental breakdown.

I've seen that look before;

In fact, I see that look every day in the mirror. I know the emotional pain that extends physically, no matter how rich or publicly known, how tall or muscular a person is.

The pain comes from inside,

And on the inside we are all just a pile of flesh and bones;

Soft and brittle.

"Here." Holding out a piece of tissue in front of Roman, hoping he will take it so I look less like an idiot with this choice of clothing coupled with an outstretched hand to a fully grown adult on the side of a cirb. I should have come in something less... entitled-rich-white-kid, minus the white part, I'm very much not Caucasian.

We are currently seated in front of the same book store that Ryland had opened recently. Weird how everything comes full circle sometimes, always ending up with the same people, same locations. Same feelings for different people.

His head snaps up. Tears sliding down his face without restraint. His eyes are the color of what people normally think of water as, but the tears spilling are clear. Perhaps, only physically clear, because I can almost see every jolt of pain stabbing him in the heart. "Why the fuck are you still here?"

The tissue gets snatched out of my hand, even in this state he has a clear sense of strength radiating from him. Part of me just wants him to be vulnerable, everybody has a reason to be hurt. Even Achilles has his heel to blame after all.

"I-I thought that you would want someone to... you know... I don't know... care?" That came out curter than I thought even after all that stuttering and incompetence in speech.

"What do you know about caring? Don't you have a company to run? Last time I checked rich people problems don't involve feelings." And there's my Achilles heel. That really, really hurt.

"O-oh. Well, I'll um... I'll leave you to yourself." I place the packet of tissues next to him, holding back tears of my own. "Sorry for... Sorry for being an inconvenience, Roman."

I thought I am hot shit just this morning seeing Skylar. But now I just want someone to spoon me and make me dinner while I cry, simultaneously, maybe not physically possible but I just want love. But that's just very un-CEO of me now isn't it?

I'm just some soulless rich stuck up that feeds off my employees' misery.

Here I thought I am being nice, following a stranger 3 blocks down from where I was, trying to console them. But in the end I am just a sack of shit that no one cares about.

Amidst all these complicated feelings I can only say that I am heartbroken. The same kind of heartbreak that would occur if I broke up with a boyfriend or girlfriend prior to my 'success'. If success means disregarding personal needs to attain a reputation lesser than shit then that is a very fucked up dictionary.

So just like any other heartbreak I have, I contacted a rebound. A willing one.

Aaron: How does Alaskan King Crab next week sound?

Skylar: Is it those spider crabs? O.O I've never had them... Okie, but promise me there will be bowling! (y)