The colourful dream I seemed to have been floating in for a few weeks now, seemed to fade a little as our finals week arrived like a juggernaut, trampling all joy and careless nights. 

In spite of that, however, I managed to survive. Although between trying to revise well in time and also making sure Ace revised as well, things this year were a little more difficult than ever before. With a little less sleep and a little more caffeine, I managed to give the exam with an almost sane mind. So much so that I was confident I had done decently. Apart from maths where my nerves had kicked in terribly before and during exams and made me skip questions I could've easily done with a calmer mind. 

However, I didn't have to think about that till we got the results next week, which meant I had a few days of pure blissful freedom. 

One thing I had noticed over the exam week was Ace's steady silence. He still seemed normal for the most part, but I often found him gazing into the distance, his eyes glassy. Clearly drifting off while we were trying to study. It had mutually been decided that for both his health and Celia's it was better if we were to study at my place. And we did, supplied by snacks all through our sessions by my mom. Thankfully, she hadn't brought up the subject of Ace again.

I  told myself he was possibly just stressed about the exam, but he never seemed to me to be someone who cared for such trivial things. 

The day after our last exam, biology, (which I was a hundred per cent sure would fetch me an A+), we decided to return to his place to hang out. Celia and Allie weren't home, and Ace informed me in a voice that was way too casual that they were at Dave's place. I didn't ask anything further and we decided to settle in and watch a crappy movie to pass time. 

"I'm actually so disappointed," Ace said halfway through the movie, shaking his head. "After all that hype, I really hoped it would do more you know?"

I stared at him before back at the screen, raising an eyebrow. "It isn't scary enough for you?"

He shrugged. "Parts of it are good. But all in all, it's just..." he scrunched up his face, "-so fucking loud."

I laughed. "You sound so bitter."

"I kind of am. I really detest jump scares."

Despite his complaints, however, we managed to watch almost the entire 'The Conjuring' before my phone rang. I reached for it and saw that it was my mom. I quickly picked up the call, slightly anxious. 

"Hi honey, how was your exam?" my mom spoke through the phone, hurriedly. I wondered if everything was okay since it seemed like she was breathless from running. 

"Eh, fine yeah. Are you-"

"Did you have lunch?" she interrupted again. 

"Yeah. Yeah, I did. Mom, where are you? Is everything okay?" I asked. 

"Yes honey, everything is fine," she sighed before she spoke again, "It's just your aunt. She and uncle...have been having problems again. I'm just here to try and sort out things...hopefully, they won't escalate."

"Oh," I said, my heart sinking. "Is she okay? Should I come?"

"No, no sweetie. She's gonna be okay. But I might have to stay here tonight and your dad will probably be home really late. He's working on that project he keeps cribbing about." She sighed again. "Will you be okay? You can just order in something."

"It's okay mom, I'll be fine." I played around with the idea of telling her that Ace was with me. Would it be weird? Maybe. What if she didn't approve? By this point, I was almost sure she would know how I felt about him. How things were between us, even if she had never explicitly said anything about it. "Er- I'm at Ace's," I said quickly, remembering her words about not lying to her. 

"Oh, that's great!" she said, "You guys have fun, okay? I'll call you when I leave here."

"Okay mom," I sighed in relief. "I'll see you. Bye."

I hung up and bit my lip, taking a deep breath, my heart hammering nervously due to some reason. I turned to Ace who was staring at me, his eyebrows furrowed. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "It's just my uncle being a dick again," I sighed and leaned back on the couch, shaking my head. "Aunt Sandra is so fucking distressed most of the times. Anytime that she's home she looks so exhausted and frail. I really...I kinda hope she breaks up with uncle. He's...he's not good for her."

"Yeah. I know," Ace sighed and placed an arm around my shoulder, kissing my temple gently. "You were really against him even when she got married."

"I just don't get the best vibes from him," I sighed, leaning into his embrace. 

"Yeah, you've said that before too," he said softly, stroking my arm. "What did your mom say?"

"She said she'll be late. And dad's working late as well. So-" heat suddenly rushed to my cheeks as realization dawned on me. "I guess I'll just stay here for a while."

He grinned. "Aw shucks. Now you're stuck with me."

"Yeah. Can you imagine a worse punishment?" I said, sighing dramatically. 

"Yes. You already made me watch two hours of a shitfest movie. That's punishment enough."

I scowled at his words. "It wasn't that bad."

"Why, why why would you make your kids sleep alone in a house that is so clearly haunted?" he said incredulously. "Like I'm sorry, but at that point you're practically asking for the damn ghost to come haunt you."

 I giggled at his frustration. "If you watch them without thinking, you'll like them. Don't overanalyze."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry I cannot dissociate my brain for a few hours that I watch movies."

"Neither can I. But do you hear me whining about that?" I said. 

"You're probably tired from the rest of the whining you do the entire day," he grinned. I nudged his arm playfully. 

"Hey, careful. You're stuck here with me for a few hours. Don't make it hard on yourself," I protested.

"That's okay," he grinned cheekily, pulling me closer. "I do have other plans for that."

 I laughed as he pulled me onto him and kissed my cheek, his lips travelling to my neck as he nuzzled me affectionately. His lips then travelled to mine, kissing me hungrily as I knotted my fingers in his hair, pulling him close. 

He sighed after a while, pulling back to look at me. I gazed back at him, my lips still tingling with the feel of his. 

"Miles, I've been wondering," he said softly, stroking my bottom lip with his thumb. "When I lose my vision-"

"Central," I corrected. "You told me it'll just be a blindspot."

"Yeah. A blind spot," he repeated, his hand finding mine as our fingers intertwined. "I won't be able to see you directly."

"No," I answered softly. 

"I want to be able to identify you. Always," he whispered.

"You will, Ace," I said honestly, unable to see where this was going. 

"I don't mean...just you," he whispered again, leaning closer and nibbling my ear gently as sparks of lust ignited on my skin. "I mean...every inch of you. Touch you. Kiss you. So that I know all of you, even without seeing. Just with...my lips."

My heart seemed to burst, flames making my entire body turn to cinders at his words. 

"O...kay," I whispered. 

He smirked against my skin, "You're nervous?"

"We've...already done it before," I whispered back. 

"Not what I have in mind." 

"Okay," I said again lamely. 

"Come upstairs with me, Miles," he whispered hoarsely, planting a wet trail of kisses down to my neck where he sucked gently. 

I nodded, my heart leaping to my throat as he led me upstairs to his room, locking the door shut behind him as I stood awkwardly in front of him. 

"Are you okay?" he asked, peering at me and perhaps misconstruing my silence.

"Yeah," I nodded slowly. "Are you?"

"Yeah," he grinned. "Just fucking nervous."

Somehow, his nervousness was hilarious to me and I chuckled. "Really?"

"Of course not. You know I have had sex already a grand total of two times."

I chuckled again, even though the memories made me want to bury into the earth and succumb to heavenly ecstasy. He walked over to me and kissed me again. I dissolved into him, tasting him, getting drunk on his taste. 

The kiss broke, leaving me yearning for more as I took a step back, reaching for his t-shirt and tugging it off him. His hands found my hoodie as I hastily rid of it, our mouths immediately meeting again. "Okay so...how...will this go?" I asked softly between his eager kisses. 

"There's...pretty much only one way it can go I guess," he said, slightly alarmed.

I giggled. "You know like...do you lie down or...do I? Like..." 

 "I'll...take care of it," he whispered, reaching for the button of my pants and undoing it. "You just...tell me if it's okay, alright? And ask me to stop if it's not."

"Okay," I whispered, knowing I didn't ever want him to stop. "You too."

We undressed quickly after that. He led me to the bed where I lay down, him climbing on top of me so he hovered on top. 

"Don't leave me if I cum in like four seconds," he said suddenly. 

I burst out laughing at his words as he stared at me, his eyebrows furrowed. 

"I'm sorry but I absolutely must have exactly seven minutes of fornication," I said solemnly. 

He giggled, nuzzling my nose with his. "Shut up."

"That's rude," I said.

"Are you blabbering because you're nervous?" he said.

"I think so," I admitted. 

He kissed my cheek gently. "It's okay. I think it's cute."

I bit my lip and nodded. Our eyes met and I noticed how dark his looked under the shadows of the room. And yet, I could see the characteristic twinkle in them. The way his lips parted slightly, glistening. 

He straddled my waist, reaching for the bedside drawer as I watched him silently. He took out what looked like a small plastic bottle and I realized what he had meant when he had said we hadn't done it like this before. My heart seemed to burst and I almost asked him to stop, but every inch of me was yearning to feel his lips.

He gazed silently at me, leaning down to kiss my cheek, the corner of my lips, down to my neck and even lower. I bit my lip, my vision hazy with the rising heat as his mouth travelled lower down my body. It felt like paradise, every touch of his lips, every hot breath on my flushed skin. I didn't dare look at him, afraid that I would combust from the sheer pleasure. His mouth kissed every inch of me, sucking, licking, pleasuring me till I was breathless with need. 

"Ace," I whispered.  "Ace..."

"Right here, Miles," he whispered back, straightening up so he was straddling me again. He reached for the bottle on the mattress, pouring the shining liquid into his hand and then onto me. I waited breathlessly, my mind running wild with fantasies. 

I bit my lip, ceasing to breathe completely when he guided me into him, our bodies connecting in a rush of ecstasy. 

"Fuck," he hissed. I remained still, stroking his thighs gently as I slowly got accustomed to the feeling. His eyes met mine, his lips parted open. 

"Are you okay?" I whispered, concerned by the way he had reacted. 

"Yeah," he nodded, biting his lip. "Yeah just..."

I remained still, letting him adjust as he poured more of the lube onto me. I plunged deep into him, my breath catching at the unfamiliar feeling. 

"Fuck," I gritted my teeth. 

He froze for a while, his lips parted as he breathed shallowly. He leaned over me, our lips meeting in hungry kisses as I held him close. He straightened up, moving his hips slowly as I let out a soft moan. 

"Is it...good?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

"Yeah," I whispered back. "Yeah, it is."

He nodded, his features contorting as he moaned softly. "Fuck...fuck..."

"Are you okay?"  asked, gently stroking his feverish skin. 

"Yeah," he answered. "Just a little...overwhelmed I guess."

"You want to stop?" I asked, even though I couldn't imagine that. 

"No," he whispered much to my relief. "It's okay. Just..." he shut his eyes and sighed deeply. "I'll go slow."

I bit my lip and nodded. He placed his hands on my chest, moving slowly against me. I pulled him close, kissing him deeply as I joined in. Our bodies moved rhythmically against each other, slowly edging towards the heavenly crescendo. 

He leaned back again, his eyes darker than I had ever seen, his mouth open in soft, erotic moans.

"Fuck...Miles...fuck..."

Invigorated, I sped up. Grinding, gyrating deeper into him as he moaned harder. Our shallow breaths morphed into each other, our skins burning away to cinders. My brain slowly losing its coherence as a tight knot formed in the pit of my stomach. The room was sweltering, ablaze with raw passion. Unlike anything I had ever experienced, unlike anything I had ever imagined. 

I reached between his legs, edging him on so we could unravel at once. He bit his lip hard, increasing his pace and sending my brain into overdrive. Slowly, gradually, I knew I couldn't hold on anymore. 

"Fuck Ace," I whispered breathlessly, my back arching as the dark ceiling came into view. "Fuck.."

I knew I could hold on no longer. The walls of pleasure broke down, cascading in raptured waves till I was shuddering in intoxicated paradise. Setting my very soul aflame. Singeing away my skin and leaving me burning in ecstatic anguish. My mind wiped blissfully empty, drained of all thoughts. Except one. 

"Ace..."

I reached for him as he came seconds after I did, his body lurching forward as I gazed in wonder at his spasming chest, his eyes shut and mouth open in a long-drawn sigh. His eyes fluttered open and met mine in a gaze that seemed to shatter my soul with a beautiful agony. One that I couldn't quite understand. One that I couldn't ever stop loving.  

He leaned over me, our mouths meeting in fiery kisses. I became aware of the wetness on my stomach, not knowing where my own body ended and his began. He didn't make any attempts to move either, his tongue finding mine instead. 

"Miles," he whispered. "I don't think that was seven minutes."

I was quiet for a while, still breathless from the paradise of our shared climax before I chuckled. "For the first time, I think it works."

He smiled softly. "I guess so."

He kissed the tip of my nose, nuzzling my neck as I held him close. "I love you, Miles."

I didn't say anything, my brain still mushy from the explosive passion. I placed a hand against his cheek and kissed him deeply, hoping his tongue could just wrest the unsaid words from mine.

And for just that second, at that moment that had set my heart asunder, I wished for the world to stop, just so I could keep holding him. Forever or always, whichever came last. 

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Hey, I'm sorry for the strange silence. I just wanted to inform you guys that my finals are beginning now. So the updates will be extremely erratic. And yeah, I still do plan to update because anytime I don't, I miss Ace and Miles. 

I need help. 

But anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! I hope to be back to my original self soon. 

PS: Although under usual circumstances anytime that I write any such scene, I will always mention using protection but here, considering their history and the amount of trust they have on each other, I thought maybe it's not necessary this once. I do want to put it out there that protection is always a prerequisite though unless you know the person, are in a serious relationship or are exclusive. And yes, protection is used even by same-sex couples or any couples because contraception is not its only utility. It protects from diseases that make things ugly. 

Sorry for the little educational rant but I have had comments surprised when two males in my books use protection so just had to get it out there.