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It was cold.
Which was odd because it's El Paso, and is it even supposed to get cold in Texas?
Ari didn't know, and momentarily considered asking Dante, because Dante knew everything. But then he decided against it because he and Dante were curled up together on Dante's bed, warm and close.
Ari was lost in thought, wondering about the weather and all its complexities, until Dante nuzzled his neck.
"Hey," he said.
"Hi," Ari replied.
"Can I kiss you?" Dante asked. And this surprised Ari because usually Dante didn't ask for permission, he just did as he pleased, which was alright with him. Hearing him ask was nice, but Ari could never deny Dante anything, and Dante knew this.
Ari opened his mouth to respond that yes, Dante could kiss him, but apparently that one minuscule motion was enough because in a second Dante positioned himself so he was half on top of Ari, and pressed their mouths together.
Dante made a little noise, and Ari managed to slip his tongue in, letting it roam over the roof of his mouth. Dante's hand clutched his arm.
They kept kissing.
When they pulled away, Dante placed his head on Ari's chest, pulling Ari's hand up to twine their fingers together. Ari pulled up their joined hands together to press a kiss to Dante's knuckles.
"You know," Dante said. "I always thought about kissing you, but then I actually kissed you, and I think I almost died."
Ari laughed, remembering the time Dante confessed that he had been kissing him in his head all along. That had been a while ago though, and they'd both shared many kisses since then.
Ari felt a little nostalgic just then.
He ran his fingers through Dante's hair, staying quiet for a few minutes. When he finally decided to speak again, all he said was, "I missed you," keeping his eyes anyway from Dante's.
He could feel Dante's little 'hmph' of surprise. "What?"
"I missed you," Ari repeated. "When you were in Chicago."
"That was months ago."
"Yeah, but that doesn't change the fact that I missed you."
Ari could feel Dante smiling against his chest. He moved to sit up, looking down at Ari. "I missed you, too." Ari met Dante's eyes.
Dante looked like an angel. He always did, but there was something in the way his eyes crinkled in the corners, the way he smiled at Ari that made him feel whole.
Only Dante could make him feel that way. And Dante knew that.
Ari reached up and cupped the back of Dante's neck, pulling him down to kiss him slowly, gently, hoping his feelings got through.
Dante pulled away, the warm look in his eyes somehow becoming even softer.
Ari lifted his hand towards him and held his face, Dante's hand covering his own. Dante looked down at him, using his other hand to run his fingers through Ari's hair.
"I think," Dante started. He looked away for a moment, then looked back at Ari. The determination in his eyes sent a chill down Ari's spine. "I think I want to be with you forever."
"Yeah," Ari said. He pulled Dante down to his side again. Dante wrapped an arm around him, peppering kisses all over his neck and jaw. "Me too."