The Price of Popularity (BoyxBoy)

{14}

Danny slept like an angel. Asher couldn’t help but notice how innocent and peaceful he looked as he breathed in and out slowly, his chest rising and falling in perfect harmony. He was curled into Asher’s side with his dark hair messed up in a way that could only be described as endearing. His ocean blue eyes were hidden from the world as he snuggled closer to Asher, wholeheartedly unaware that Asher had been awake and watching him for countless minutes.

With this perfect angel beside him, Asher couldn’t help but see himself as unworthy of being in the presence of such a creature. He knew that he, himself, was the furthest from pure and good, and so watching Danny sleep made him feel like a villain; dark and evil and impure. Guilt washed over him, so much that he had to lean back into his pillow and close his eyes tightly.

Danny made his life sweet. He lit up Asher’s world with every word spoken and every move made. Asher wondered for a moment if Danny would be better off with Damien. Someone who wouldn’t lie to him, someone who would love him better, harder, stronger, purer.

As the thoughts rushed to his mind, Danny snuggled closer to Asher with blinking eyes. Danny’s arms tightened just slightly around Asher’s side and he sighed as his face hid against Asher’s shirt.

I can’t think like this. Danny loves me. Danny and I are going to make it through this, Asher thought strongly as his gaze met Danny’s. He wasn’t sure if he truly believed the thoughts, but he knew that Danny loved him. That was the one thing that he never second guessed, the one thing in his life that he knew he could count on. Danny loving him was as sure as the sun rising in the morning. It was absolute.     

‘Good morning,’ Danny mumbled with a sleepy smile. Asher hated that he always had to wait for weekends to spend mornings like this. He was glad that his week had gone quickly and it was now Saturday morning.

Asher smiled in reply, placing a kiss on Danny’s lips. It was funny, he thought, in their kisses he felt everything but never guilt. He knew that he lied to Danny and that was the cause of much hardship for his conscience but when he held Danny close and he pressed his lips to his boyfriends, so full of passion and pure love, he never felt guilty for what he was doing. His words weren’t always pure, but his love for Danny was.

If it wasn’t, Asher wondered if he would have just broken up with Danny and became that person that he is pretending to be. It was a scary thought. Perhaps it was Danny that held Asher to the reality of himself. The person he was under the mask.

Danny pulled back from the kiss eventually, a sweet smile gracing his lips. ‘If I move in next door, I don’t think I’ll want to spend one night alone.’

Asher smiled, imagining countless mornings of them together. ‘I don’t think I’d let you.’

‘Good,’ Danny smirked sweetly. He rolled over, away from Asher, to face the bedside table where a plain black clock sat. ‘Oh no, my father’s going to be here soon.’

Asher groaned, the idea of leaving a warm bed with Danny in it was excruciating. ‘It’s so early,’ he complained.

‘It’s ten thirty,’ Danny laughed. ‘Don’t worry I’ll make you coffee.’

Danny sat up in the bed, almost about to make his way out of the room. Asher quickly moved the distance between them and pressed himself against Danny’s back, pressing soft kisses up his neck. Asher could practically hear Danny’s smile.

‘If you do that,’ Danny said, ‘then you won’t get your coffee.’

Asher wondered if Danny really thought that would work. Asher’s hands caressed Danny’s back and sides, moving lower, ‘I want you more than coffee,’ he whispered huskily into his boyfriends ear.