Rehearsing was never fun for Philip but, that night, having Aiden as a protagonist, he enjoyed it. Aiden was a professional.
Memorises lines like a computer, knows how to get into character and is very much a proud boyfriend whenever Philip overcomes some difficulties.
"This needs to stop, Harry!" Said Philip as Eddie holding back his tears.
"I thought you wanted this" Said Aiden as Harry, grabbing Eddie back to him. Not really getting where all those things where coming from.
"I wanted my family off my back. Not you marrying my best friend!" Shot back Eddie, feeling offended and betrayed, selfish even.
"But, she's the coolest girl I have ever seen" Replied Harry like telling your wife that you are gay is no big deal. The wife they both work with!
"That doesn't make her immune to pain, does it?" Called out Eddie, dissapointed and resigned. He was supposed to be a friend first, boyfriend later. It's a matter of priority.
"You are playing with her feelings with your half ass-ed truth. How are you any different from those scumbags out there?" Stressed out Eddie.
"What do you want me to do? Break off the wedding? Eddie, it's tomorrow!" Reminded Harry, like Eddie wasn't making any sense.
"You know what?" Asked Eddie taking his documents he just gave Harry to sign.
"What?" Asked Harry, confused.
"We are done!" Said Eddie with anger but, to himself more and went outside the office leaving a calling Harry.
He had like millions of chances to curb that from happening but, he waited it out till the night before the wedding to give Harry an ultimatum?. He was the worse between them two.
"You still hate Eddie's character?" Asked Aiden when he saw just how much sad Philip got at the end of the scene.
How can Philip say that he was doing to Aiden exactly what Harry was doing to the Eddie's best friend while being in Eddie's character? That's pure him.
"What's wrong baby?" Asked Aiden getting worried by the second.
"Nothing's wrong. I'm just contemplating something" Said Philip hoping to get it all out of his chest and be done with it.
"You are overthinking? That can't be good" Muttered Aiden dryly putting a smile on Philip's face, "Fuck off!"
"Okay, okay... I'm serious now, what's up?" Asked Aiden, seriously.
"What would you do if someone lied to you?" Asked Philip, expectantly.
"Did someone lie to you?" Asked Aiden, trying to understand Philip's question.
"Just answer the damn question, Aiden!" Demanded Philip.
"Yes, ma'am!" Replied Aiden with a salute before giving it some thought, "I need all the facts if you want me to give you my honest opinion"
"What kind of facts?" Asked Philip, confused. Trust Aiden to turn a serious moment into a circus.
"Like if that someone is important to me, will the lie destroy me or just an excuse so the truth wouldn't hurt me, for how long they lied_" Aiden was cut off mid rambling by a dissapointed Philip.
"You don't know the feeling, do you?" Asked Philip holding back... his laughter? mortification? Shock? No, the word ain't established yet but, we can go with speechless.
"No, I don't" Agreed Aiden sheepishly.
"But, you can forgive right?" Asked Philip just to make sure. You know why?
"I'm a Christian and, it's the core of the religion anyway" Replied Aiden with a shrug.
"You sound proud of yourself" Observed Philip with a smile.
"I am. Let me tell you a secret" Said Aiden excitedly.
"Better be good" Relented Philip with a sigh.
"I realized just how much a hypocrite I was before so, I left the leading role in the church and focus more on my connection to God" Clarified Aiden with a bright smile.
"I did that?" Asked Philip, feeling bad about it, "I'm sorry"
"No, you shouldn't be because, you are right. There's just too much doubts in me and many unanswered questions, for me to lead a person to the right path" Explained Aiden.
"I don't know much about God but, the guy feels pretty magical in your words, makes me want to believe in something beyond my understanding, blindly. Maybe leading was your calling?" Started out Philip salvaging whatever he broke in Aiden.
"He's amazing!" Said Aiden with a blinding smile.
"Yeah... So, I'm glad you are the way that you are. Simply perfect in short" Said Philip pulling Aiden to sit on the couch and him on top.
"Do you believe that?" Asked Aiden breathlessly looking up at a hungry Philip.
"What?" Asked Philip before kissing Aiden to oblivion but, not quite.
"That I'm perfect?" Asked Aiden with a worried look.
"Yes, you are. To me at least" Said Philip helpfully.
"No, I'm not! I don't want to be perfect! Tell me what to do wrong" Begged Aiden, killing the moment entirely. What now?
"Is something bothering you?" Asked Philip, seriously concerned.
"Mia cheated on me because of that and being boring mostly" Explained Aiden as he was mentally scolding himself to stop being a baby and to just grow up a pair.
"Thanks again, Mia" Said Philip with a roll of his eyes. Never a dull moment without that name popping up.
"Teach me what you like in a man, baby. I don't want to lose you too because, I'm boring" Begged Aiden desperately kissing the back of Philip's hands tenderly. But, you 'too'? Why even add that with Philip's priest stake?
"Boring? Or, maybe that's what attracted me to you. Maybe, I wanted someone to feel like home. And what's a home if it ain't cozy?" Assured Philip with a smile but, he wasn't feeling it. He was right off the bat upset.
What did Aiden mean when he put 'too' for him, with the lost of Mia? Philip can't always be playing number two in his own web of lies. That's the line they shouldn't be crossing.
"So, I'm that cozy place?" Asked Aiden before kissing Philip on the chin and Philip purposefully avoided it, followed by standing up from Aiden cordially.
"You should feel lucky" Replied Philip, bored already.
"Who says otherwise?" Asked Aiden, holding Philip back to him. There's never a second that passes by when Aiden was never thanking his God, he ever met Philip.
"Aiden honey, you got some work to do" Reminded Philip, barely concealing his annoyance.
"You are enjoying this, aren't you?" Asked Aiden teasingly, clueless to Philip's actual feelings.
Philip wasn't going to pretend to like his touch now after being called someone's replacement out loud like that. Even the blind could see that.
"I can't say I don't" Replied Philip sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.
"Hey Philip" Called Aiden as an afterthought fighting for some confidence in him to just get the words out, "Any idea where you'd be tomorrow night?"
"I smell a date" Said Philip, ears perking up at the sound of that. That's right! All they needed was a get away! Just for the two of them, outside the apartment
"It's a work dinner actually, and I don't know... I just wanted to show you off to my guys?" Said Aiden awkwardly but, when looked up at Philip? He wished he didn't say none of that or even think of anything about it.