Sunsets and Constellations | B X B

• T W E N T Y T H R E E •

E L I J A H

Arius was withdrawing and Elijah couldn't really do anything about it. New Year's was the last time they'd had a genuinely good time as friends. The rest of their friends had come back around those days and Arius had backed off almost completely. Although when they did hang out during lunch, dinner and philosophy class, it was always a good time. They'd both stuck to pretending like the kiss had never happened, they hadn't cuddled, flirted and the like. Arius had probably forgotten about it anyway.
But to Elijah, it literally meant so much. He couldn't believe that the first guy he had a crush on had actually kissed him back. Now he knew why everyone made such a big deal out of first kisses and supposed fireworks. Elijah thought that it was simply bizarre and unreal that Arius had kissed him a second time.

Arius had kissed him in a way that made his toes curl in anticipation and eyes roll back into his head, he'd kissed him in a way that just had Elijah wanting more. He'd held him in such a delicate, yet firm way, like Elijah was going to break if he gripped him any harder or slip away if he let loose. It was the first time Elijah had kissed a boy and he thought that the kiss itself wasn't very different, except he really liked who he was kissing this time, so that made all the difference. Although, he'd say that he loved the fact that he didn't have to duck his head to kiss because they were the same height, or how Arius's body was built like his own.
And it was a fucking struggle to ignore those thoughts all the time and remind himself that Arius wasn't being himself that night.

Ryder was dumbstruck when he had told her that they'd kissed twice and cuddled during the holidays.

"You're telling me, he fucking asked if he could kiss you again?" Ryder sat up.

"Yeah he did."

"That's a gentleman right there, consent is everything." Ryder clapped, looking impressed.

Elijah rolled his eyes and smiled at the excited girl when their room burst open and Tirzah walked in looking suspicious.

"Wait, who kissed you Elijah?"

"You've got to be fucking kidding, did you eavesdrop?" Elijah rolled his eyes again, annoyed this time.

"Yeah, who's 'he'? I thought you weren't gay." Tirzah said, looking confused.

"Have some shame Tirzah, eavesdropping isn't cool in the slightest."

"Yeah okay I'm not cool, but spill." Tirzah rolled her eyes.

"Well, I identify as gay I guess. There, now you know." Elijah mumbled.

"That's awesome but who's 'he'?" Tirzah restated her previous question.

Elijah and Ryder looked at each other warily.

"Arius."

Tirzah laughed out loud while looking ecstatic as she propped herself on Elijah's bed.

"Y'all would look so hot together." Tirzah said fanning herself dramatically.

"The sexiest ones are really gay." She mused.

Ryder shuddered as the words left Tirzah's mouth.

"Arius isn't gay, I don't think-" Elijah cut himself off because it was the first time he had even considered the other boy's sexual orientation.

"Dude, he fucking kissed you, another dude." Ryder deadpanned.

"Yeah but it was like, in the spur of the moment. Can we talk about something else please?" Elijah said, starting to get uncomfortable.