The Dasa Chronicles|| A H.S OC

04

* * *

Dylan bit his lip. He never lied to Asa but he was nearly one hundred percent sure that he could not tell him the truth because, quite frankly, he was rather scared of Asa's reaction. He wasn't ready to tell him the truth at all.

Exhaling, Dylan finally said something, "I was just dropping by...?"

"You don't sound so sure," Said Asa noticing the uncertainty in his voice.

Dylan tilted his head, "spontaneity?"

Asa shook his head and moved to the seat beside Dylan rather than opposite him where he originally was. "Did you really think that after all this time I would not be able to tell that you're lying? Dyls, I know you like to live a spontaneous life, going wherever the wind takes you but I don't think this was quite that. You came here for a specific reason otherwise you would have told me."

"What if I wanted it to be a surprise?"

Asa rolled his eyes, "you would have still told me because you can never hold it in. I know you. In fifth year when you wanted to surprise me for my birthday, you told me what you got me two weeks before because you couldn't wait. You did that every year. Now, if you don't want to tell me, I won't force it out of you... yet."

Dylan chuckled, shaking his head. "I just wanted to see you because...well... you're my best friend." He nearly said it. He nearly told Asa why he was really there but bottle it right at the last minute.

"That was it? Why didn't you just say? Wait, you already did about eight times." Asa rolled his eyes. He glanced at the clock on the mantle piece which sat in between an image of him and Dylan and one of him and Harley. Two of his favourite people. "Oh bugger, Dyls, I've got work. Are you going to be alright here on your own? You can make yourself at home, there's a spare room next to mine where you can stay, you can shower, cook, sleep, do whatever you want. Leave if you want to, as long as you're happy, you can do it. I'll be back at lunch time. I have a half day."

Dylan nodded, "thanks, Ace. And sorry again for just dropping in unexpectedly."

"I told you, it's all good."

* * *

When Asa returned home from work he was half expecting Dylan to have left and not find him in the living room sitting on the floor writing in a leather notebook. Clearly he didn't hear Asa enter as he didn't even move a muscle in acknowledgement. Asa put his bag and water bottle on the dining table and perched beside his best friend who really quick slammed his notebook shy and tucked it behind him.

Asa laughed, "same old, Dylan, not allowed to see what you're working on. Still!" He exclaimed and Dylan's cheeks heated up as he shook his head.

"Not yet," he told Asa as he fumbled around to put it in his bag.

"But why not! I haven't been able to read anything of yours yet, and I've been waiting since first year! C'mon Dyls, just a sneak peak." He begged and scooted closer to the blonde who moved further away shaking his head. "Dyls!"

"Ace!"

"Dylan, please... with a cherry on top?"

"I don't like cherries."

"Since when? You adore cherries!"

"Since I choked on the stone of one in Switzerland." Dylan grumbled, "stupidly big it was."

"Aw, did the wickle cherry stone get lodged in your throat?" Dylan nodded his head. "Aw boo boo, how about some mango? Although I don't actually have any right now, the ones in the market yesterday didn't look very appealing." 

Dylan shrugged and picked at the loose thread hanging from the hem of his top. "I really have missed you, Asa."

"You've said that and I have agreed with you so many times. I wish we had stayed in touch better. It's so weird not having you around."

"I'll stay around if you want me to, I can find a place to live near here. I'm done travelling at the moment. I need some stability for a while."

Asa's breathing hitched at the thought of keeping Dylan around. He didn't question why he wanted to stop travelling, he didn't question anything at all like that, instead he marvelled in the idea of his best friend and secret lover being around 24/7. He reverted his eyes from his best friend and coughed, raising to his feet and wandering over to the kitchen to get a glass of water to dampen his desert-like throat.

Dylan followed behind him and leaned against a cupboard with his arms across his chest. He tried to read Asa's eyes but was finding it much more difficult than it used to be. Time away from each other really did impact them more than they had once thought.

"I don't have to, though. Not if you don't want me to. I completely understand if you don't want to, you probably have a whole different life now. With some other friends, in a different country, a fantastic job and I turn up out of the blue and try to mustle in. It was ludicrous of me to believe that I could turn up and everything between us would revert to our Hogwarts days. I'm sorry, Asa, truly I am. I'll be going, it was good to see you-"

"What on earth are you banging on about? Dylan, even if I had a thousand friends no one can compare to you! No one can replace you. For you have a place in my heart that you occupy every minute of everyday and that will never change. So what if we haven't seen nor spoken to one another in years? True friends do not need regular contact to stay best friends. Dylan, you are the most precious person in my life and I won't have you doubting that. I'm sorry if it came across that I didn't want you here because I do, I really do. It just came as a shock to me. It has been so long that I wasn't sure that you would want to be around me all of the time like we used to be. But I'm glad you do because I want you here too."

"Seriously?"

I'm deadly serious. You mean everything to me and to have you back will not only be amazing, but you can meet Harley, she's an absolute gem and only lives next door with her man, Bill, he's great too. And they will love you. And not only will all of that happen, but Dylan, it will make me very happy. Happier than I have ever been and... and... and..."

"What, Asa? And what?"

"And..."

"Asa, please just get on with it."

"And I love you."