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The clouds blotted out the sun, giving the appearance that it might rain at any time, which would have suited Gale just fine. If the heavens answered his silent prayers and the skies opened up, it would mean he could finally leave this damned booth and go back to his dorm. His legs jogged from underneath the tablecloth, anxious and overstimulated. How long was left in his shift? One hour? Two?
Gale hadn’t originally been the one scheduled to sit at the Astronomy Club kissing booth for recruitment day. He hadn’t even volunteered. However, Rolan had gotten sick— or so he claimed— and when Gale had been asked by Elminster, the club’s advisor, to fill in he hadn’t been able to say no. So here he was after classes had finished, time that could have been spent doing anything else, kissing strangers at a cardboard booth to earn money for club activities.
“Don’t look so gloomy, Gale.” Jen elbowed him in the side, causing him to straighten up in his chair. “You’ll scare people off.”
“Did it ever occur to you that I might want to scare people off?” Still, Gale tried to relax his face, hoping to not look as unhappy as he felt. Wishing he was anywhere else.
“We need members, dummy.” Accepting a few crumpled bills from a blushing girl, Jen flashed her a smile. “Do you want the club to close?”
He didn’t. Of course Gale didn’t want the club to get shut down. He loved studying the sky, watching meteor showers with a thermos of tea at midnight, and looking at stars. He could suck up his discomfort for a little longer.
“Besides, you didn’t seem to mind when a certain law student kissed you multiple times.”
“What?” Gale blinked, looking at the line in front of the booth, trying to catch a glimpse of white hair. A girl sat down before him, and he took her money and kissed her, not taking any of it in. “Astarion was here?”
“You didn’t notice that he’s waited in line to see you at least three times?” Jen smirked at Gale, who felt his cheeks heating up. “I know you didn’t think you would be as popular as you ended up being, but I thought you would at least pay some attention to what you were doing.”
“I could not tell you the name of anyone that I’ve kissed today, it has to have been at least fifty people.” Gale ran a hand down his face, feeling slightly awkward. If Astarion really had already been by several times, and he hadn’t realized... Well, it was really embarrassing to not notice something like that.
“Well at least keep an eye out in case he comes back for round four.” Jen winked at him, and Gale wanted to hide under the booth.
“In case who comes back?” As though the universe was playing a joke on him, Astarion was the next person in line. He wore a black beanie that hid most of his hair and matched his worn leather jacket. He quirked his lips in a half-smile, and Gale felt his heart flutter in his chest. “Were you waiting for someone, darling?”
Only you, Gale wanted to say, but the words got caught in his throat. “My replacement, so I can finally leave.”
“Just as I finally get to the front of the line? You wound me.” He tucked a strand of hair behind one ear. “Here I hoped you’d be happy to see me.”
“Didn’t I see you earlier?” Gale asked, testing the water.
“I was in class,” Astarion waved his hands airily. “Just got out half an hour ago.”
Jen lifted an eyebrow in suspicion. “I didn’t think you had classes this late.” Astarion glared at her, and she grinned in response. “I’ll admit, Astarion, I also didn’t think you were the type to line up for a kissing booth.”
“Maybe I’m just here to support a good cause, help a friend out and all that.” The grin this time was wider, and Gale was all too aware of the faint sheen of gloss on Astarion’s lips. How had they kissed several times already without him noticing?
“Now I’m surprised at your philanthropy, I feel like I should do something to repay you.” Gale accepted the stack of folded bills before Astarion rested his elbows on the table, chin on his steepled fingers.
“I can think of something.” Then he leaned forward and placed a hand on each of Gale’s cheeks, pulling him forward until their lips crushed against each other.
Maybe it was due to how warm his own face was, or how long Astarion had waited in line, but the lips that pressed against his own were cool, and tasted faintly fruity from the gloss. The flutters in his chest grew stronger, and heat began to pool in his stomach. Gale didn’t want it to stop, but all too soon they broke apart, and he struggled to catch his breath, mind blank.
Astarion was staring dumbfounded at him, and Gale felt his heart sink in his chest. Had he miscalculated? What if he was the only one who had a crush, and Astarion had truly been trying to help the club out? He’d been so sure that there was some mutual attraction between them– given what all of their friends told him– but they very well could have been wrong. Gods, if that was the case, Gale hoped he’d be let down gently.
Someone wolf-whistled from the line, shaking him out of his thoughts. Right… They were at recruitment day, at school… Gale was in a booth with Jen and a crowd of at least twenty people who had seen him make out with Astarion. His cheeks burned with embarrassment. This was not the place for sorting out his feelings.
“That was different from the other ones.” Astarion mused, a finger running over his lower lip, and Gale was pleased to see there was a faint pink tint to his cheeks. At least they both felt awkward.
“Other ones?” Gale leaned forward slightly, and the flush in Astarion’s face deepened. “I thought you said you were in class.”
“That is… What I meant was…” For once Astarion seemed at a loss for words, and Gale felt strangely brave.
“Would you like to get drinks after my shift ends? Coffee or something?”
A grin spread across Astarion’s face, his blue eyes shining. “My dear, I'd like nothing more.” Then he sidestepped around the booth, grabbed both of Gale’s hands, and tugged. “I don’t see why we should wait, though. You look like you could use a break.”
Gale stood awkwardly, confused, before he was pulled along, and Astarion started to sprint. “What’s happening?”
“I’m kidnapping you!” Astarion laughed, his smile shining where the sun wasn’t. “Run, darling!”
It was a rush after that, their feet flying over the pavement, Gale’s heart hammering in his chest as the sound of Jen’s voice faded behind them. Astarion’s hand had his own in a death grip, as though worried he might let go. “Where are we going?”
“Drinks, remember?” With his free hand Astarion pulled a set of keys from his jacket pocket. “My bike’s parked nearby!”
Right, his motorcycle. Gale remembered how excited Astarion had been when he’d found a post where someone had been moving and needed to sell their bike fast. He even took a class to get a license in time to drive it back to campus before someone else snatched it up. Gale had never ridden on it before, never even been asked.
“Do you have a spare helmet?” He asked, hoping to not offend Astarion.
“I was thinking you could wear mine so I don’t have to mess up my hair.” Astarion sighed and rolled his eyes as Gale held a hand to his chest in mock-offense. “Yes, I have a spare helmet, so you can stop staring at me like I’ve lost my mind.”
The bike was parked in one of the campus lots. It was a bit beat up from something the previous owner had done, the red paint chipped or scratched in a few places, but otherwise well-cared for. A black helmet hung from one of the handlebars, a bike lock preventing it from being stolen. A second helmet was secured to the passenger seat with some kind of net. Astarion unhooked it with practiced movements, tossing the helmet to Gale, who fumbled but caught it.
“I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before, if I’m honest.” Gale put the helmet on, but let Astarion adjust the straps, savoring the sensation of cool fingers on his neck.
“Darling, I’d be more surprised if you had ridden one before.” With a wink, Astarion pulled a pair of gloves out of his jacket pocket and slipped them on. Gods, despite the chilly air Gale felt warm. He pushed his visor down to hopefully hide the blush.
Astarion got on the bike and showed Gale how to sit on the passenger seat. “Make sure to hold onto me tight, darling, we wouldn’t want you to fall off.”
“Has that ever happened before?” Gale could hear the blood rushing in his ears, and he suspected if he were to press his chest against Astarion’s back then it would be obvious how he felt.
“Not yet, but why take the risk?” Astarion put his own helmet on and turned the key in the ignition, causing the bike to rev to life, and Gale reflexively tightened his grip as they started to move.
The day had been cool, not cold enough to require more than a sweatshirt, but the sun had already started to set as they sped down the streets of their campus town. Gale wished he had dressed warmer. The wind tugged at his clothes and sank into every exposed piece of skin; he tugged his sleeves over his hands to protect them, but it didn’t do much. The only heat seemed to be from where his and Astarion’s bodies touched, and he couldn’t help leaning into it.
He hoped wherever they were going had indoor seating.
Still, he’d never experienced the streets like this before, weaving in and out of cars, lights streaming by them. It was a rush of sights and sounds he’d never have known about otherwise. Captivating and brilliant.
Just like the man driving.
After ten or so minutes Astarion pulled into a public park and turned off the engine. He pulled his helmet off and smiled at Gale, his cheeks flushed, and the curls that escaped from under his beanie stuck to his forehead. “How was that?”
“Exhilarating,” Gale laughed, fumbling with his helmet, his fingers frozen. A gloved hand found the clasp and released it, stroking his chin in the process. “A bit cold, but absolutely exquisite.”
“Let's get something to warm you up then.” Astarion finished locking up the helmets and pointed to a drinks stand nearby. Despite the time of day the booth was still open, selling a combination of coffees, teas, and other beverages. “Any idea what you want?”
“Probably shouldn’t have anything caffeinated right now, so maybe just a hot chocolate?” Gale pulled out his wallet, and Astarion started to protest. “It was my idea to get drinks, get whatever you want. Goodness knows how much you already spent on me today.”
Astarion flushed a bit more and he looked away. “I’ll get whatever you’re having.”
Gale purchased the drinks and passed one to Astarion, who accepted it with a shy smile. That was new, Astarion being shy? “So, is there a direction you wanted to go in?” The park was close to campus, with some paved pathways and pavilions surrounding a lake, bordered by trees. He’d gone there numerous times in his first few years of college, but lately he’d been devoting more time to studying and club activities. It was nice to be back, the familiar scenery was relaxing.
“There was a place I wanted to show you, actually…” Astarion rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, still avoiding meeting Gale’s eyes. “I found it a few weeks ago and thought you might like it.”
“Oh?” Maybe it was the adrenaline of the bike ride still flooding him, but Gale felt suddenly breathless. He could only accept Astarion’s offered hand and follow along as he was led up a hill, deeper into the park.
“Watch your head,” Astarion pointed to a dirt pathway partially blocked by hanging branches, and they had to crouch to get through. “I’m guessing the caretakers haven’t realized this place is here.”
On the other side of the foliage was a small cliff that overlooked their college town, ringed by a low fence. The last rays of the setting sun had stained the sky purple, with a few streaks of pink and orange mixed in. From up high the world looked different, he recognized the various buildings, but it was like seeing a diorama in a museum. Wondrous.
Astarion sat down on the grass, pressing his knees to his chest, and Gale joined him, so close their shoulders were touching. They were silent for several minutes, Gale’s heart still fluttering as he struggled to think of something— anything— to say that wouldn’t sound stupid. Finally he settled on, “How did you find this place?”
“I was having a bad day and looking for somewhere to hide away from everything and literally stumbled into it.” Astarion took a sip of his drink and laced his fingers through Gale’s. “I was feeling overwhelmed and wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings.”
“I know how that feels,” Gale nodded, and inched closer. “I was pretty out of it earlier.”
“I noticed, you didn’t even recognize me the first few times I kissed you.”
“I knew it!” Laughing, Gale playfully elbowed Astarion in the side.
“No, Jen knew it.” Astarion elbowed him back. “You didn’t even know I’d been there until she told you. I was standing in line when you were talking about me, you realize.”
“Gods, how much did you hear?” Gale felt his cheeks heat even more.
“Pretty much all of it.” Astarion seemed unfazed by having overheard the conversation. “Are you feeling better now?”
“Oh!” There was a pleasant, tingly feeling in Gale’s chest now. “Yes, I think the situation was also just… overwhelming and I dissociated for a bit. I’m never doing anything like that again.”
“That’s probably for the best. It was concerning when you didn’t recognize me the first time.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, why did you come back?” Gale couldn’t resist asking.
Astarion took another sip of hot chocolate, contemplating. “Well, partly because I was worried about you. Then I was also experimenting to see how many times we could kiss before you actually noticed.”
“How… how many times was it?” Gale could only remember the final kiss, he doubted he’d ever forget.
“Four, until Jen ruined the fun by telling you.” Four? Gale hadn’t realized just how out of it he’d been.
“Does that include the one I was actually aware of?”
“It does, why?”
Gale fidgeted with his cup, trying to gather the courage he’d felt earlier. “Do you want to make it five?”
The look on Astarion’s face was something Gale wanted to remember forever. The shock turned into sudden realization, then briefly to embarrassment before solidifying into something akin to be his usual smile. “Well, if you insist.”
Their second kiss (that he could actually remember) tasted like chocolate. They both must have set their cups down because one of Gale’s hands found the small of Astarion’s back, the other rested on his shoulder. Meanwhile both of Astarion’s hands were buried in Gale’s hair, pulling their faces closer together. Despite the cold he felt so warm, close to overheating, and desire curled in his stomach.
Time seemed to stop, there was only this moment, and Gale wished it could last forever.
Finally they broke apart, panting, cheeks flushed and lips swollen. Astarion smiled dreamily, still cradling Gale’s face in his hands. “I think that was my favorite.”
“Mine too.” Gale swallowed, trying to find the words to convey how he felt. “Would you want to go on a date with me?”
Astarion pressed another kiss to Gale’s forehead. “I’d like that a lot.”
It had been five years since they’d officially started dating, and Gale still felt like the nervous student he’d been at the time. The ring box had been inside the coat pocket of his jacket all day, and he was trying to figure out just what to do. He arrived at their apartment after work only to find it empty, much to his disappointment.
He hung his keys on a hook next to the door and looked around the room at the life they'd built together. There were framed photos of them and their friends on the wall, cat toys on the floor despite him having been cleaned up just that morning, and shelves of well-loved books. It had only been three years since they’d moved in together, but it felt like a lifetime.
On the kitchen counter was a note, written in Astarion’s elegant handwriting: “meet me on the roof for stargazing.” As tempting as the offer was, there was only one star Gale wanted to see tonight. Still, he headed back out of the apartment and up the stairs, his knees protesting the climb.
They’d gone stargazing on the roof several times before, setting up a picnic and curling up under a blanket for meteor showers or other events, so Gale expected something similar. Instead he found a table set up in the middle of the rooftop, with a handmade kissing booth made out of cardboard on top of it. Astarion sat there, looking pleased with himself.
“Now this brings back memories.” Gale said, walking over and taking his boyfriend’s hand. “Dare I ask what the price for a kiss is?”
“A year of your life,” Astarion smirked and placed his lips to the back of Gale’s hand. “To be spent with me, naturally.”
“A year of my life for one kiss? You drive a hard bargain, Star.”
“I am a lawyer, my dear. Hard bargains are in the job description.”
Gale pretended to think about it, then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the ring box. “And how many kisses does this get me?”
To his surprise, Astarion’s eyes started to fill with tears and he wiped them away with the back of his hand. “I can’t believe this.”
“Oh?” Gale was taken aback, worried he had offended Astarion somehow.
“Yes!” Astarion glared at him, but there was no actual menace in the look. “I worked so hard planning this and here you have the gall to propose before I do!” He took a ring box from underneath the booth and placed it on the table’s surface. Inside sat a silver band with two stars engraved in the surface and an amethyst set between them, twinkling in the moonlight.
Now it was Gale’s turn to tear up. “Gods, Astarion…”
“No, you be quiet, I have spent too long on this to not say it.” Astarion pressed a finger to Gale’s lips.
Getting to his feet, Astarion walked around to the front of the booth, ring box in hand, before getting down on one knee. “Gale, my darling, darling man.”
“Yes.”
“Correction, my darling, insufferable man.” Astarion took a deep breath and opened the box again. “Since meeting you, my life has been an adventure, more magical than I could have ever dreamed. I don’t want to go a day without you by my side, so I have to ask: Gale Dekarios, will you marry me?”
“Yes, a thousand times yes.” Gale was crying, tears streaming down his cheeks into his beard, and his hand was trembling as Astarion placed the ring on his finger. He attempted to wipe his face off with his sleeve and got onto his own aching knee. The ring Gale had picked out was black gold in the middle of two gold bands, and a diamond-shaped ruby set into the metal.
“Astarion, my life and light, I love you more than words could say. You are my North Star, my lighthouse, and I know I want to be with you forever. So, Astarion Ancunín, will you make me the happiest man in the world, and marry me?”
“Yes, gods yes.” Astarion’s voice was thick with tears, they were both crying now as Gale placed the ring on Astarion’s finger.
“I can’t believe you put all of this together without me knowing.” Gale sniffed, wiping some tears off Astarion’s cheek.
“Well we’ve both agreed you can be quite the foolish man.”
“Hey, I’m your foolish man,” Gale smirked and held up his left hand, the ring glinting. “Forever.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Astarion smiled, and kissed him again, knowing there would be many more to come in their future.