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"Scar, what are you doing?" Grian exclaimed. He had just come back from resource gathering when he saw Scar lying face-up at the top of their sand mountain.
"I'm just looking at the stars. Look at how beautiful they are tonight!"
"Dude, you're going to get sand all over you, and then you're gonna get sand all over the base."
"The base already has sand everywhere. It'll be fine," Scar lifted himself with his elbows and patted the ground beside him, "C'mere."
Grian sighed and dropped his bag by the door. He kept telling himself that all he was doing is paying a debt that Scar has never bothered to enforce. There was no other possible explanation as to why he constantly felt unable to say no to him.
Grian laid down beside Scar, shoulders touching each other. They were closer than anticipated, but neither of them bothered correcting their position. Grian caught a satisfied grin on Scar's face before looking up at the sky.
Grian had never liked looking at the stars, especially since this game started. There was something sinister about the way they blinked, without ever losing sight of him. The way their light crept through windows and roof gaps with no care for privacy.
They were the witnesses of the night horrors. Not only of the nocturnal monsters that viciously attacked players, but they were audience to the moments where they struggled to sleep and spent the night giggling at the nonsense Scar spewed. They observed as hands lingered on unintentional brushes before quickly pulling them away as if they pricked each other. They watched as warm bodies accidentally tangled with each other in their sleep, which neither had the bravery to bring up in the morning. It felt like a million stars were staring at him, waiting for the right moment to strip away everything he had.
Grian turned to watch Scar instead. He seemed enamored by the stars. Grian had caught Scar throwing glances at the sky at night multiple times before. His eyes glimmered with yearning and adoration for them. Grian wondered if someday Scar would suddenly fly away toward them. If one day he would build high enough to reach them, high enough to make wars, games, people, life, and death obsolete. When the world border traps you from all four sides, the only way out is up.
Scar turned his face towards Grian and looked him in the eyes with the same adoration on his face as when he looked at the sky. Grian's sight lingered on Scar's eyes too. For one to despise feeling observed—and consistently felt it— it was oddly comforting to be watched by Scar.
Scar turned his whole body and reached for Grian's face, lightly brushing away the sand reflecting the starlight on his cheek. His hand lingered for longer than necessary until it entirely rested on him. Eyes darted all over their faces, with glances at each other's lips lasting longer. Grian noticed the stars were shining brighter, hungrily, maliciously. They whispered at him,
Only a fool would fall in love with someone they are destined to lose. We see you. You know we see you.
"I- I'm…It's getting cold," Grian pulled away from the touch, which caused Scar to pull back his hand. Grian lifted himself to his feet in one swing. On his way to the base, Grian couldn't help but feel watched.