Page 146 of The Amber Sunburst

“Yes! Hippolyta. That’s my dog. And you want a cat, don’t you? You would.”

“I’m allergic.”

“Then we’ll get you a hairless one. We can name it Adonis and then they’ll both have ironic names.”

Kallias gasps and his head pops up from Alexander’s shoulder. “It wouldn’t be ironic. Our cat would be beautiful, hair or not.”

Alexander bites his lip to hold back his grin, and watches his hand continue to sift through what might as well be molten gold. “Whatever you say, gorgeous.”

Kallias leans into the touch so slowly that Alexander isn’t sure he even knows he’s doing it. “I hope you get that. The life you want.”

“We will,” he corrects, moving forward and pulling Kallias to meet him until their foreheads are touching. He feels Kallias’ hand sneak up to his jaw.

He isn’t sure how long they stay like that before Kallias whispers, “I’m tired.”

With effort, Alexander pulls back, earning a scowl.

“Just wait one second.” He smiles, rolling his eyes. He runs to drag the beanbags over, then climbs up for two blankets from the top shelf.

When he gets back Kallias is staring aimlessly into the stacks, eyes unfocused and arms crossed. “Come on,” he says, shepherding Kallias by the collar to their makeshift beds. And if the beanbags are pulled so close they’re touching, well, Kallias doesn’t comment on it.

Kallias tilts his head at the setup, so Alexander clarifies, “I didn’t think I was going to make it up the stairs, so I figured⁠—”

“Smart.”

Kallias drops into one of the beanbags and pulls the blanket around himself in a burrito. Alexander falls into his own seconds after, but he can’t close his eyes because Kallias is watching him softly, and looking away would be a sin.

“I’m still cold,” Kallias complains, because of course he does, and despite there being a million different options, the only thing Alexander can think of to do is lift his own blanket in invitation.

When Kallias doesn’t respond, he plays it off with a shrug. “Body heat.”

Kallias hums and scooches over. By body heat, Alexander meant sharing a blanket and keeping his hands to himself because he doesn’t want to make Kallias uncomfortable.

But once Kallias gets close, Alexander’s fingers move without instruction, reaching for his hair to push it out of his face. Kallias shuts his eyes and his lip tightens in the corner.

When they flutter open again Alexander could swear they’re shining. Kallias laughs sadly at himself, shaking his head, and Alexander doesn’t know what it means.

“Kallias—”

“Not tonight,” he says roughly. “Tonight can we just…”

He shakes his head again before inching closer.

“Just what?” Alexander asks.

Kallias leans in, shifting until he’s comfortable, his head resting in between Alexander’s neck and shoulder, his hand gentle on Alexander’s waist.

“Just stay like this,” he finally murmurs.

Alexander’s body responds reflexively, his arms holding Kallias as if he’ll never get to again.

“Sure, minha estrela. Whatever you want.” The pet name slips out without him even noticing, too focused on how perfectly Kallias’ body fits against his.

“What’s that?” Kallias whispers.

“It’s… it means star.”

“Just star?”