How simple a task it was to entertain the thought that they may be able to stay like that forever.

    The sky was an inky black as it stretched itself out above their heads, a blanket of sorts both shielding them from all that lay beyond it and concealing them from any prying eyes. The stars, blinding little specks of blue and white, were sprinkled throughout the expanse of it, little guardians looking over the world. And beneath it all lay two hearts, beating that much faster thanks to their proximity.

    The surrounding air was silent, the two refusing to meet one another’s eyes as they stared up at the universe spreading itself out before them. They might even have been mistaken for strangers if not for their hands resting just close enough to be brushing, though no more than that.

    The first, slender body taking up nearly no space on the grass, was as still as he could possibly be. The only movement he made was the harsh jumping of his chest, a result of his heart pounding against it. It was nearly unnoticeable beneath the moonlight, but the typically fair skin of his cheeks was painted pink - something that had been happening whenever he was around the other boy lately. His wide eyes remained fixated on the stars, fearing that if he relaxed, his gaze may stray to the face of the boy laying beside him.

    The second of the boys, though typically exuding confidence, quaked ever so lightly. It took all of the power in his body to keep his hand still so the first wouldn’t know how nervous he was. His chest rose and fell steadily with each deep breath he took, though said breaths were forced as he tried to keep himself calm. His gaze flickered, never staying on one thing for too long. There were innumerable thoughts running through his head, and he was utterly restless.

    He had been doing a good job controlling himself up until the moment that he suddenly felt something cold against his hand. He turned his head slowly as not to shock himself at the sight, and his hopes were confirmed as he saw that the first had slid his hand beneath his own, and after pausing briefly to steel his nerves, he closed his spindly fingers around the second’s.

    “Is this okay, Jun?” the boy’s gentle voice came out as a whisper, barely audible as he kept his sights fixated on the sky above him. The color of his cheeks grew steadily darker by the second.

    Jun nodded at first, too stunned to speak, before realizing that the other couldn’t see him and letting out an equally hushed, “Yeah. It’s okay, Minghao.”

Minghao felt Jun’s hand close around his own not long after, the juxtaposition between Jun’s heat and his coldness sending shivers down his spine.

There were no secrets left now; they could feel their pulses pounding against one another. Yet, neither could bring themselves to speak.

Jun realized after a few minutes that he was still looking at Minghao and, frankly, he didn’t want to look away. He looked like a celestial being of sorts, practically glowing in the soft moonlight.

As if on cue, Minghao seemed to feel Jun’s eyes on him, and finally, finally, he turned to meet his gaze.

Their hearts stilled for     moment before doubling their pace.

    Minghao took in the sight of Jun for the first time that night. Never before had he seen such admiration in one’s eyes, though he figured that his own expression probably mirrored that.

    Jun drank in Minghao’s details, now able to see his full face. His eyes immediately found their way to his lips, as though some greater force were pulling them there. They were so pink, so plump, sitting partially open in the most enticing way that Jun had ever seen. Those lips were calling to him, just begging to be kissed, and Jun didn’t think he could hold himself back.

    Minghao didn’t think he wanted Jun to hold himself back.

    Jun didn’t know how long he spent with his eyes flickering between Minghao’s lips and his eyes. He knew what he wanted to do, and he knew that Minghao wanted him to do it, too, but something about the finality of it all scared him. Their relationship had been one of ambiguity for as long as he could remember. Glances that lasted just a second too long, bodies that were just an inch too close, voices that were just a notch too quiet. They walked the line between friends and lovers, neither mentioning the feelings that were apparent to all around them.

    If Jun gave into the sweet temptation of Minghao’s lips now, all of that would be over. No longer would they be a ‘maybe’, a ‘this or that’. They would be set in stone. That was what he wanted - that was what he had always wanted - but the fact that it was so easily within his reach now seemed too good to be true. It frightened him. If he leaned over and kissed this boy now, would all they used to have be lost? Would they become something else entirely?

    It seemed for the second time that night that Minghao could read Jun’s mind as the cold grip on his hand tightened for a moment. “It’ll be okay, Jun,” came his calming tone, smoother than honey and sure as hell the sweetest thing that Jun had ever heard. “I’m here.”

    And that was it. That was all that Jun needed to hear to set himself in motion. No matter what happened, MInghao would be by his side.

    So, he leaned over. He took his time, savoring each second leading up to it - his life was about to change for the better, and he wanted to remember every last detail of it.

    Somewhere in the background, seemingly eons away from where they sat, a bug of one kind of another chirped. Above their heads, the stars continued to watch over them - Jun mused briefly that the stars may be admiring the two of them now the way they had been admiring them previously. But, of course, the most beautiful thing of all was lying right beside him. Minghao’s eyelids dropped slowly until his long lashes were teasing his now bright red cheeks, jaw shaking ever so slightly with the most amazing anxiety that he had ever experienced.

    And, then, their lips met. With only the stars above as their witnesses, the line between ‘friends’ and ‘more’ had finally been crossed, and they had no intentions of ever turning back.