Sun Kissed ✓

fifteen

FINALE!

AUSTIN was feeling brave today. When he saw Tanner, he marched towards him and took his hands, emboldened by the delighted surprise he was met with to gaze right into his eyes. "I want to be with you," he said, the words spilling with a grace he hadn't expected and an urgency that had bounced up and down and around his stomach all morning.

Giddy, Tanner's grin split into a melodious laugh. "You are with me," he said, squeezing Austin's hands.

Summer was drawing to a close and Austin was afraid he'd have to miss Tanner by the middle of September— or the beginning of September, which was even more embarrassing but probably more accurate. After an agonisingly slow week, Saturday had finally rolled around and this was the first time they'd seen each other since the previous Saturday after, depressingly, having some of their shifts changed around. Clearly, they'd gotten a lot more used to each other over the past not-quite-three months than they'd expected they would and sacrificing the company of the other to attend to other duties was no end of the world, but it was an unfortunate smack in the face from reality.

Wrapped in their beautiful little bubble, the truth of responsibility and priority has finally begun to greet them with a ruthless and relentless sneer. School was starting up again soon which meant the unfinished assignments and textbook cramming were piling up and friends, desperate to savour summer's last kiss, were eager to hang out, hopelessly seizing every possible opportunity to get out of the house.

But none of that mattered right now. Finally being able to see each other lit flames in their chests, left waves crashing in their stomachs. Their feet were so quick and unburdened that, maybe if they didn't think about it too much, they could probably triumph a million miles, and then maybe another million more.

After a week that had made them feel older than they'd ever felt before, it was good to feel young again.

"Shut up," Austin said, a fond smile tumbling clumsily onto his roseate lips, despite the fact that he was rolling his eyes.

They didn't know where it was that they were going, but had agreed to meet by a street that was more-or-less halfway between where they lived. Maybe to the beach, maybe to the park, maybe to catch a movie or see if the fair was still on downtown, but really it was just about seeing each other and it didn't really matter to them where that was. Who cared for solid plans anymore? Solid plans were summer's downfall, and they would have no more part in it than they had to.

Tanner looked beautiful. Of course, Austin always thought he looked beautiful, but this was different. There was something more relaxed about him today. Perhaps his hair was getting darker or maybe his eyes were a little more weary than usual, but there was something ethereal about him. His beauty today was the most delicate it had ever been; all of his sharp edges seemed to have softened into an elegance that, for the first time, conquered his vehemence.

Somehow, his confidence had failed to betray him and the lack of a straight answer, that normally would've sent his heart jumping, didn't so much as leap one beat out of rhythm.

"Summer is ending," he continued, "and since we won't really be working our jobs anymore, I probably won't see you as much."

"Yeah," he agreed glumly, scuffling his shoes against the sidewalk and squinting off towards the sun, before quickly shielding his eyes and turning back away.

"And I've been thinking about it," he said, "and I want to be with you."

Hesitance hung in the air. For the first time, Austin considered that asking a question like this could be disastrous for the plans that they had. What good was it finally having a day for each other if an awkward tension lingered over them everywhere they went? On a day like this, it would be like a thick, grey storm cloud drifting over their heads and leaving puddles of water at their feet.