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Arin looks up at the stars through the sunroof of Dan's lexus. He watches as white lines of light shoot across the sky. Cutting through the darkness like paper. Together Arin and Dan sat in the California desert. Dan had heard about a meteor shower and just begged Arin to go out and watch it with him. And with surprisingly little effort Arin was convinced. Now the two stare up at the black void of space speckled with stars. The driver and passenger seats set all the way back so they could lay back.
“Wow.” Dan says with a smile.
“There's so many of them tonight.” Arin watched Dan's face in the corner of his eye. His smile is so sweet to see. It completely lights up his face. If Dan caught Arin looking at him he would have looked bashfully away and Arin would lose the beautiful sight. So for his peripheral he settles.
“Can you believe rocks just fall from the fucking sky?” Dan says excitedly. His smile so clear in his voice.
“Can you believe rocks come from the sky? That's like, the exact opposite of where we think rocks come from.” Arin comments.
“I guess everything technically comes from the sky man.” Dan responds.
“I don't know about that.” Arin says playfully.
“Well it depends how far back you go. The bacteria that became us came from the sky.” Dan says.
“Okay but that's like bacteria from a bazillion years ago. I'm a people from nineteen-eighty five.” Arin opposes.
“Well yeah but that bacteria became the weird fish thing that became lizards, and dinosaurs, and us.” Dan plays along.
“Fucking fish growing legs. Now I gotta pay taxes and shit.” Arin mumbles jokingly to himself.
“Fucking fish growing legs that lead us to this.” Dan says as he points up and tracks a shooting star with his finger.
Arin smiles to himself.
“Alright, maybe tax paying is worth this. Watching stars with my best friend.” Arin gives in.
“Aw Arin. You think I'm worth taxes?” Dan jokes.
“Yeah I do. It's not that bad. I don't do my own taxes.” Arin blushes and looks back up at the sky.
“Thanks man. That's really sweet of you.” Dan peels his eyes away from the sky for a moment to look at Arin. Arin’s hair was pushed up the car seat headrest. Splayed out like a halo around his head. Dan caught himself lingering on Arin for too long and quickly looked back up at the sky.
“Man it's been fucking forever since we've hung out like this.” Dan says to distract himself.
“I know we hang out for a job but like, you know what I mean.”
“Yeah. Reminds me of filming grumps in my basement. Staying up late to play pokemon and shit.” Arin feels all warm and inside at the fond memory.
“And I'd fall asleep at ten and you'd wake me up at two am to keep filming.” Dan comments. Arin feels his cheeks start to suddenly burn again as he remembers. The image of Dan peacefully sleeping in the light of the old TV they played on. Arin tucking Dan's hair behind his ear and covering him with a blanket. Arin looks to the side, trying to hide his growing blush.
Dan was also reminiscing on the old times they had together. Dan remembers waking up on Arin's couch and pulling the blanket on closer. Basking in Arin's scent as he would fall back asleep. Dan felt his cheeks start to grow red too. He watches as more stars shoot across the sky and thought. Thinking long and hard about Arin. He looks to the other and is disappointed to see Arin hiding his face.
“I love times like this.” Dan says to change the subject. Suddenly Arin has an idea. It crept its way into his brain and now he's quickly going over the pros and cons of acting on his brilliant idea. Arin thought about Suzy. He recently came out to her so it wouldn't be surprising for her. And she had given the okay to Arin for years and years. If Arin said something it wouldn't be outside the boundaries of his pre-existing relationship. Go for it.
“I love you.” Arin tries to say casually. Dan gasps quietly and immediately looks back at Arin. He's still hiding his face as he says it. Dan smiles to himself.
“I love you too.” Dan responds.
“You're my best friend! Of course I do.” Dan adds quickly before too much time can linger.
“Oh. Yeah, you're my best friend too. You know that.” Arin responds quietly.
“Oh?” Dan repeats.
“Sorry, sorry. I don't mean to sound disappointed. I'm not I don't know why I would.” Arin says quickly. The two sit in silence for a while. The tension suffocating them both. Dan thinks as he stares up at the big blackness above him. A strange feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. Dan thinks for a second. His mind runs through various thoughts of Arin. His smile, his halo hair, his laugh, his sweet voice. Dan snaps out of his own head and looks to his side at Arin.
“Hey, Arin?” Dan asks.
“Yeah?” Arin asks without turning to look at the other. Dan reaches over and touches Arin's chin. Turning his head to face him.
“I love you.” Dan smiles.
In an instant Arin leans over and presses his lips to Dan's. It's so quick and sudden Dan doesn't have time to react right away. But as his brain catches up to the moment he immediately starts to kiss back. His eyes flutter shut. He reaches up and runs his fingers through Arin's hair. Arin holds his hand to Dan's cheek. Rubbing his thumb over the light stubble on Dan's face. It feels like fireworks are exploding in their heads. Bright bursts of color and light as they feel the warmth of each other's lips. It's magical. When Arin pulls away Dan finds himself following his lips. When Dan opens his eyes again he sees Arin looking at him with the saddest eyes he's ever seen on the other.
“Woah! Hey, Arin, what's up?” Dan says in a soft tone. Arin sits up straight and Dan follows suit.
“I'm sorry, that was fucking wrong. That was absolutely not okay.” Arin says as he puts his head in his hands.
“Oh no, no, Arin it's alright!” Dan tries to reassure him.
“No that's not what we are. You're my best friend.” Arin rambles to himself.
“Awh dude.” Dan says quietly as he places a hand on Arin's shoulder. Arin rambles nonsense to himself.
“Arin.” Dan says softly. Arin sighs and looks up at Dan.
“I just, like, fucking, I don't wanna ruin anything. After all these damn years I don't wanna ruin anything.” Arin let's out.
“Fuck man don't say that.” Dan says. His voice a little strained as he gets choked up. Arin just looks at him. Sad and conflicted. Dan sighs.
“Kiss me again.” He says quickly.
“What?” Arin says as his face suddenly falls flat.
“Kiss me again Arin.” Dan says firmly. And with that Arin once again leans forward and kisses Dan. Dan throws his arms over Arin's shoulders and pulls him close. They kiss until their breath gives and forces them to pull away.
“So, shit, I um…” Arin stumbles over his words. Dan laughs softly.
“You suck.” He smiles. And Arin stares in slight awe at it.
“God what time is it? The stars are pretty but man I'm too old to be up this late.” Dan says as he sits back in the driver's seat.
“Yeah, let's go home. I want my cats, and my wife.” Arin smiles. Dan pauses for a moment.
“Oh shit!” Dan says in a hushed voice.
“What?” Arin asks.
“My wife…” Dan responds.