We Still Reach For The Stars

Part 2

After what seemed to be forever, Aaron stood before his wooden door, and the realization of what was about to happen hit him full force. It took him almost a minute to gather himself, and he was about to reach out to grab the handle when it was pulled open for him.

Green. Deep, green eyes. Forests, jungles, vegetation. Oceans, rivers, lakes. Grass, meadows, canopies of leaves. All gathered in the bright eyes of one Mason Alder.

Aaron's breath caught in his throat, and he suddenly couldn't remember how to breathe. But that was okay. He didn't need to breathe right now.

Before he knew what was happening, Mason had wrapped one arm around Aaron's waist, a playful grin on his thin, red lips. The door was suddenly closing behind him. Wait, when had he gotten in the room? It didn't matter, because Mason was tugging him, pushing him to the small rickety bed in the corner, and sitting him down.

Aaron still couldn't breathe.

There was a moment of them staring at each other in the still dark room, rain drops splattering across the window, the sound of howling wind whistling in the distance.

And then soft lips touched his.

It was a spark. No, it was more. It was fire, a roaring flame, and suddenly all the guilt Aaron was feeling just moments before because of what he was about to do was slipping away, and all that mattered was Mason's lips caressing his. His thin, red lips, that Aaron had become so accustomed to, were pressing against his, and a sense of relief filled Aaron up; spilling over the edge. This was it. His home, his life, his soul, his heart, all pouring over the edge as Mason wrapped his arms more firmly around his waist, and Aaron was grabbing his hair, pulling the two impossibly closer.

And he still couldn't breathe.

But it was WONDERFUL. It was PERFECT. It was MASON.

And no matter what others told him, no matter what the world said... it was RIGHT. It was more that right. It was the most correct thing Aaron had ever done, and he knew it to the deepest darkest parts of his soul.

It was a few minutes, or hours, or years, when they finally broke apart, eyes holding so much emotion in them it was almost too much.

One of the things Aaron loved most about Mason was his eyes. Not just the green, but the expressiveness. Mason didn't know it, Aaron doubted anyone did, but the most emotion a person would be able to see in Mason would be directly from his eyes.

That was, if you knew him well enough.

To any stranger, Mason might have looked guarded, maybe pleasantly surprised at most.

To Aaron, he was in love. He was happy. He was full. He was content.

And AARON made him feel that way.

It still amazed him.

Aaron laughed quietly, his fingers still curled in Mason's hair, his head tipped to the side. "It still surprises me you even want to do this with a peasant like me." They leaned their foreheads together, Mason's hand coming up to rest over one of Aaron's wrists, his other hand still relaxed at the dark-skinned boy's waist.

"It still surprises me you would want to kiss a snotty noble," Mason countered, chuckling.

"You could never be like them," Aaron whispered. His hand was absentmindedly stroking Mason's hair back; he loved how soft and silky it was.

"I would hope not."

They stayed like that for who knew how long, soaking in each other's presence, before Mason suddenly sat up, away from Aaron, and he was disappointed, but knew they had to end the moment eventually.