The Wish From Heaven | ✓

side-stories | aster; daniel

Dale nods, no longer meeting his gaze. "It's okay."

Pulling him into a hug, Aster whispers, "I need just a bit more time."

"I understand."

"Thank you." He pulls back and smiles. Then he puts his hands on Dale's cheeks, cupping them and caressing them. The taller boy is now of the same height, as Aster is sitting on the table. "Do you think I should shorten my hair?"

"Your wish."

"Hmmmm. Wanna know why I let it grow so long in the first place?"

"Why?"

"Because I was insecure about the fact that Ethan was straight before he met me. I didn't want him to stop being attracted to me, so I kept my hair loooong to look feminine. How desperate, don't you think, Dale-dale?"

He thinks about it. Then he says, "Yes."

"Pfft." Aster laughs heartily. But it really is nice how Dale never lies. All the trust issues he had with Ethan, would not stand as a possibility in this relationship. "Then I guess I'll cut it off."

"Okay."

"And sell it! To the SC Hospital. They make wigs for cancer patients, do you know?" The idea was actually given by Dawn, no surprise.

"I didn't."

"Hmmm." Aster leans his face closer to Dale, until their foreheads press against each other. Dale's cheeks heat up under Aster's palms, though the facial expression shows no particular difference. Hot breaths are exchanged, shy biting of lips, failed attempts of turning the gaze away, only to be pulled back in. And as their eyes settle on each other, only momentarily disconnected during blinks, and back again– Aster feels the same breathlessness from his innocent high school love. So close, so close. Desires burn throughout his body; impatience grows; but the breaths were withheld in an attempt to distract himself from what he deeply wants. Warmth. How he craved for some of that, in these summer days spent shivering.

He knows, Dale would give it to him if he only asks. And yet, why couldn't he ask?

He glanced at the younger boy's lips. Dale was born in June, and Aster in March. Dale doesn't look anywhere but deep into his eyes, as if he can see through them to find the shame and grief that lies underneath. Aster's heart has began its pacing. Wrapping his arms around Dale's neck, Aster gently pulls him a little more close. They stare at each other for a while longer. Aster gives the signs, but Dale is as if hypnotized with the sight of his lover's face so up close.

Finally, Aster gives up. "Aren't you gonna do anything?" He whispers.

Dale blinks, as if snapping out of a reverie. "Do what?"

"Won't you kiss me?"

"I can?"

"Yes, dummy!" Aster could not help but let out a sigh. They've been going out for only a month now after running in circles as friends for too long. Romance existed in between the lines, but none that included a lot of touching.

Dale again continues to blink.

"I swear on Sulphuric acid that you can, Dale-dale." He won't believe it otherwise, Aster fears.