(?) Naturally.
"Yeah, I didn't have to, but this would've been a hell of a lot more awkward if I didn't make sure." And before Cole had the chance to ask what he meant, Kai was leaning in and closing the gap between them.
He made a noise of surprise, something of a squeak that sounded more like a dying animal than anything coming from a person, and didn't react right away. Mostly because his brain was buffering because holy fucking shit, Kai was kissing him. Kai was kissing him.
He'd died and gone to heaven. That was the only possible explanation for all of this happening. Having to reveal his long kept secret to Kai had been so much pressure that he'd keeled over and died of a heart attack, and this was his own personal heaven. And he couldn't even complain, because if this was what death was like, did he even really want to be alive?
It was better than he'd ever imagined it to be. All those daydreams, zoning out and staring at Kai's lips, wondering what they'd taste like, wondering what their first kiss would be like if they ever had one, (something he sincerely doubted, but clutched onto the idea dearly) it was nothing compared to the real thing. Finally he kissed back, desperate not to fuck this up like he'd fucked up everything else, and it was like he was in a trance. His hands shot out from behind him, desperate to pull him closer, desperate for more.
One hand rested itself on Kai's hip, the other on the carpet below him to make sure he didn't fall over and embarrass himself. He could taste the stupid fucking slushie on his lips, the mix of every flavor on the planet flooding his senses, and, wow, maybe it wasn't that bad after all.
Kai was the first to pull away, probably for the best given the fact that Cole didn't think he'd ever have the willpower to do such a thing, and Cole stared at him like he was the entire world. And to Cole he was; he was the sun, the moon, and the stars. He was everything, and now he had the knowledge that Kai felt the same way. It was wonderful.
"I really, really love you." The words spilled from Cole's mouth like they belonged there, not an ounce of doubt circulating in his mind. It had all fled from him during that kiss, every last bit of it.
"There's— there's so much I want to do with you now that we're dating, and— are we dating?" He assumed he knew the answer to his question, but clarification couldn't hurt.
"Yeah. Holy shit, please, that's everything I've ever wanted." Kai placed a gentle peck at the top of his forehead, then on his cheek, then his lips. It was like he couldn't restrain himself, and the thought was so sweet it made Cole nauseas.
"Middle school me would be so happy right now, you have no idea. I mean, obviously me me is fucking extactic, but I never thought you would ever like me until I got my soul mark." He left more peppered kisses across his face, and Cole's entire body burned with a fluttery feeling. But above that, it burned with a wonderful realization. Kai had been in love with him since middle school? Christ, he was an idiot for ever thinking he would hate him for this.
"And then when your birthday hit I lost hope again, but turns out I was right all along and some stupid gorgeous idiot hid it from me cuz he thought I was straight or something."
"Trust me, that's not the—" He was unceremoniously cut off by another peck on the lips. Cole never expected Kai to be this clingy, but he didn't mind. Not at all. Wanting to show off just how much this all meant to him, Cole reciprocated with a kiss of his own.
"That's not the reason. I've never thought you were straight, dude." Kai laughed, sounding like an angel descended from the heavens.
"I was just stupid. Thought you would be mad at me for getting us stuck together. I'm so sorry, dude, I never should've assumed how you feel." It felt amazing to get the final lingering negative feelings off of his chest. He grinned brightly, certain he looked stupid right now but unable to muster a single care.
"It's alright." Cole pulled him in for another peck on the lips because, Jesus, this was addicting.
"I mean, I'm still pissed at you, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't matter now. We're here, and you're kissing me, and I'm still not entirely sure this is actually happening, and that's what matters." Kai paused, his gaze shifting nervously around the room, before his eyes met Cole's once more.
"What do we do now? We have to do something, I don't wanna spend the rest of the day with my new boyfriend— holy shit we're boyfriends this cannot be real— sitting on my gross carpet. I mean, there's the dance, but that's not for over a week and I don't have the patience to wait that long."
"You want to go to the dance with me?" Cole didn't know why he was surprised; Lingering feelings of low-self esteem and disbelief, he supposed.
"You gotta stop acting so shocked, dude." Kai pulled him in again, this time for their second full kiss. Their inexperience was clear, much more so now that Stan was able to actually process what was happening, but he didn't care. He couldn't. All that mattered was that Kai was the one kissing him, something he never in a million years thought was possible.
"Of course I do. Hell, I'd get married to you right now if I could." Without a second thought, Cole reached for Kai's hand and pulled it closer to his own. He traced his fingertip around his soulmark, and the feeling of comfort it gave him was indescribable. The marking that had given him so much pain to even look at for the longest time was now the most comforting thing in the room, other than Kai himself. It was hard to believe, but then again, so was the rest of this.
"I mean, we don't have to go if you don't wanna. I know you think those things are dumb."
"No," he corrected immediately. "I thought they were dumb because they reminded me of you. Of what I didn't have. I'd love to go with you, more than anything." Stan would love to take him. To show up with Kai, hand in hand, and show off the fact that he'd gotten the world's best soulmate? It made him stupidly giddy to even think about.
Though, a part of it was that he couldn't let go of what Kai had said earlier, that Cole was ashamed of him, that that had been the reason he chose to hide this from him for so long. He wanted to make that up to him, he needed to show Kai that wasn't the case in the slightest.
"Perfect. I can't wait." Kai looked at him, a bright smile on his pretty face. "I think the mall is still open for a bit, if you wanna go shopping for what to wear." No, absolutely not. He wasn't leaving this room, this bubble of perfect serenity, without a gun pressed to his head.
"Nah, not right now. This sounds cheesy, but I really just want to stay here with you." Cole wrapped his arms around Kai's neck, and he responded by placing a palm on his cheek. Cole leaned into the touch immediately like an affectionate cat, desperate for any and all touch he could receive from Kai.
"I was hoping you'd say that." Kai leaned in to give him what felt like the thousandth kiss, deciding on his neck this time, before leaning back with a sudden eagerness.
"Ooh, I know! We should listen to some of your favorite music! Since you're the earth record and all, it's fitting."
Cole was certain Kai had no idea how much that meant to him, clueless as to how many nights he'd laid awake daydreaming about this exact scenario. He had an exact playlist in mind— the one with Kai's name as the title, and a photo of the two of them together as the cover image.
He'd never dared to show it to anyone before, keeping it private and for his eyes only, but he wasn't keeping secrets anymore. And he had a growing feeling that Kai would love it.
"Fine, but only if you play me something on your guitar after." Kai agreed with a giggle, until Cole realized the unfortunate reality that his phone was still sitting on Kai's nightstand, meaning he'd have to stand up and leave Kai to retrieve it.
"Can we... stay here a little while longer?" He leaned onto Kai's shoulder, greedily drinking in everything about him.
"Yeah. Of course." And they laid there, together, until the setting sun was replaced by the moon, until they could gaze at the shimmering stars from the open window.
Neither could muster the will to move, to separate from each other, but that was okay. Because Cole was willing to spend the rest of his life right here, as long as he had Kai by his side.
