the guilt on his face is obvious from the moment kori lays eyes on him, baby blues cast downwards as his fingers already work knots into his hair. but aiden stands tall— almost more so than before, like a stem held by a stave as confidence does his posture. it’s, alarming?
it leaves a pleasant warmth in kori’s chest.
❝ idiot.❞ kori says, noticing aiden opening his mouth to retort, a crinkling in his eyebrows (heavy with SHAME of distant memories of a mirroring of ABANDONMENT) and it begs to be slapped off—
he smacks his open palm dead center. there’s a noise of alarm and anger as the older recoils, bringing his hands up to nurse the injury; baby. he barely put any effort into it.
❝Fucking rude.❞ aiden grouches, pulling his hands away from his face with a huff, indignant. ❝ I might have deserved that. Might-- still fucking rude though???❞
kori's eyes roll so far back he swears he sees his own damn brain, but feels the tiniest bit of remorse regardless. he decides to remedy it by making a point of going up on his toes, grabbing his face with both hands and laying the loudest most OBNOXIOUS kiss on his nose.
it seems for a moment aiden almost forgets to act like he didn't like it.