The only sound that could be heard was the ticking of the clock.
This wasn't unusual for them, lapsing into bits of silence when on one of their study dates. Dorian didn't mind, there was something comfortable about it.
They were in Aidens dorm this time and Aiden seemed pretty focused on his homework, which was creating some sort of portfolio with his old pictures. So Dorian stayed quiet and continued to type on his laptop.
Aiden got up from his desk check his nightstand, Dorian glanced over from his spot on the bed "Is everything alright?" his boyfriend nodded with a grumble "Yeah, do you remember that photoshoot we did at the park?"
Dorian set his laptop aside, he remembered, that was shoot particularly frustrating due to outside forces continuing to interrupt them. But the pictures themselves had turned out quite well.
Aiden continued "Well I wanted to put those pictures in my portfolio" he gestured vaguely to the desk "Maybe they're in my desk, could you go check?"
Dorian nodded hoisting himself off the bed and to the desk. Opening the drawers and shuffling through different papers, eventually he was able to to find the photos Aiden was talking about. While grabbing them though a few papers accidentally fell on the floor.
Dorian set the photos on Aiden's desk and crouched down to grab them. His eyes only briefly skimmed one before he realized the writing was familiar.
His stomach tied in knots, emotion suddenly hitting him.
"You kept these?" Dorian asked, voice thick. He turned and held up the papers.
Aiden stared shuffling slightly before nodding "Yeah. Of course I did" he said softly.
Dorian looked down at the papers, the load of love letters he'd written long ago. He gulped "Okay." He sat back down on the bed, trying to get his thoughts in order. Aiden frowned, and came to sit next to him.
Dorian shook his head "Sorry" he chewed the inside of his cheek "I guess I just expected you to have thrown them in a bonfire in one of those 'I hate my ex' rituals" he joked, hoping to lighten the mood.
Aiden still seemed serious. There was a beat of silence, Dorian played slightly with the paper in his hands. "I couldn't get rid of them" Aiden said finally breaking the quiet "There was a part of me that wanted to. But when it came down to it I couldn't" he shrugged "I asked Bebe to take them, so they wouldn't be around" he looked back to Dorian "When we got back together, I wanted them back"
Dorian bobs his head in a nod. That made sense. They could probably move topics now, Dorian could put the notes away and continue on with their date, putting this emotional conversation behind them.
Instead he blurts out "I have all your pictures."
Aiden stares at him wheels turning in his head for a moment "All of the pictures of me?"
Dorian nods. "All 348" he looks down a little bashful. Dorian had gotten better about being emotionally vulnerable these past few years, but it was still something he struggled with. "I mean they're not on my phone currently because I guess I couldn't handle them at the time to" his rubs the back of his neck "I couldn't see them everyday....but I couldn't just delete them" he keeps his eyes focused on the ground "I put them on a hard drive and kinda hid them away"
When he looks up Aidens still staring at him, Dorian swallows "They're in a folder on my computer"
Aiden tilts his head slightly "Not your phone?"
Dorian chuckles "I needed space on my phone" he wraps an arm around Aidens waist "So I could take more pictures of you"
He sees Aiden blush as he leans his head on Dorian's shoulder. Dorian mindlessly plays with his hair. "You" he starts "are terribly difficult to get over" he kisses Aidens temple.
He hears Aiden snort "I could say the same about you"
Dorian smiles.
Finally he unwraps himself from Aiden going to put the love letters back to their belonged spot. But when he's putting them away he skims one of the paragraphs. He scrunches up his nose "Ugh, my writing was so pedestrian back then" he puts the final paper back "I could do way better now"
Aiden hums "Well, I think the only way you can test that" he smirks "Is if you write more."
Dorian turns back slightly smile on his lips "You might have a point, Ochre"
