Danny slept like an angel. Asher couldn’t help but notice how innocent and peaceful he looked as he breathed in and out slowly, his chest rising and falling in perfect harmony. He was curled into Asher’s side with his dark hair messed up in a way that could only be described as endearing. His ocean blue eyes were hidden from the world as he snuggled closer to Asher, wholeheartedly unaware that Asher had been awake and watching him for countless minutes.

With this perfect angel beside him, Asher couldn’t help but see himself as unworthy of being in the presence of such a creature. He knew that he, himself, was the furthest from pure and good, and so watching Danny sleep made him feel like a villain; dark and evil and impure. Guilt washed over him, so much that he had to lean back into his pillow and close his eyes tightly.

Danny made his life sweet. He lit up Asher’s world with every word spoken and every move made. Asher wondered for a moment if Danny would be better off with Damien. Someone who wouldn’t lie to him, someone who would love him better, harder, stronger, purer.

As the thoughts rushed to his mind, Danny snuggled closer to Asher with blinking eyes. Danny’s arms tightened just slightly around Asher’s side and he sighed as his face hid against Asher’s shirt.

I can’t think like this. Danny loves me. Danny and I are going to make it through this, Asher thought strongly as his gaze met Danny’s. He wasn’t sure if he truly believed the thoughts, but he knew that Danny loved him. That was the one thing that he never second guessed, the one thing in his life that he knew he could count on. Danny loving him was as sure as the sun rising in the morning. It was absolute.     

‘Good morning,’ Danny mumbled with a sleepy smile. Asher hated that he always had to wait for weekends to spend mornings like this. He was glad that his week had gone quickly and it was now Saturday morning.

Asher smiled in reply, placing a kiss on Danny’s lips. It was funny, he thought, in their kisses he felt everything but never guilt. He knew that he lied to Danny and that was the cause of much hardship for his conscience but when he held Danny close and he pressed his lips to his boyfriends, so full of passion and pure love, he never felt guilty for what he was doing. His words weren’t always pure, but his love for Danny was.

If it wasn’t, Asher wondered if he would have just broken up with Danny and became that person that he is pretending to be. It was a scary thought. Perhaps it was Danny that held Asher to the reality of himself. The person he was under the mask.

Danny pulled back from the kiss eventually, a sweet smile gracing his lips. ‘If I move in next door, I don’t think I’ll want to spend one night alone.’

Asher smiled, imagining countless mornings of them together. ‘I don’t think I’d let you.’

‘Good,’ Danny smirked sweetly. He rolled over, away from Asher, to face the bedside table where a plain black clock sat. ‘Oh no, my father’s going to be here soon.’

Asher groaned, the idea of leaving a warm bed with Danny in it was excruciating. ‘It’s so early,’ he complained.

‘It’s ten thirty,’ Danny laughed. ‘Don’t worry I’ll make you coffee.’

Danny sat up in the bed, almost about to make his way out of the room. Asher quickly moved the distance between them and pressed himself against Danny’s back, pressing soft kisses up his neck. Asher could practically hear Danny’s smile.

‘If you do that,’ Danny said, ‘then you won’t get your coffee.’

Asher wondered if Danny really thought that would work. Asher’s hands caressed Danny’s back and sides, moving lower, ‘I want you more than coffee,’ he whispered huskily into his boyfriends ear.

‘Don’t start something you can’t finish,’ Danny muttered cheekily, his head turning as his eyes darted to the clock.

Asher’s gaze followed his and he realised that Danny was right, his father would be here in less than ten minutes. ‘Geeze, just break up with me already if you don’t want me to kiss you,’ Asher pulled away, the joke clear in his voice.

 Still, Danny turned to him with wide eyes. ‘Don’t say things like that,’ Danny muttered with a concerned expression.

Asher opened his mouth to tell Danny that he was sorry, it was a bad joke. Before he had a chance though, Danny was pouncing on him. They both fell back onto the bed with a bounce. Asher laughed as his head hit the sheets, a question in his eyes.

Danny just smiled down at him like a playful kitten, bright eyes looking into Asher’s. He rested his arms on the mattress next to Asher’s head. ‘Don’t joke about that,’ Danny said sweetly with wholehearted adoration in his words. ‘I love you way too much to ever break up with you.’

Danny leant down and kissed Asher with passion, his arms moved forwards along the bed so that his body slowly lowered down onto Asher’s as their lips moved in sync.

‘Wake up boys-oh god,’ the door to Asher’s room opened and shut in less than three seconds.

Danny pulled away from Asher and sat up straight, staring at the recently shut door.

‘Gosh Dad,’ Asher mumbled to himself. This was awkward. ‘Don’t worry, at least we are wearing clothes,’ he reminded Danny as he sat up himself. He had thought that Danny would be more horrified, instead he found Danny giggling.

‘Sorry,’ Danny laughed out when Asher met his gaze, ‘it’s just so awkward.’

Asher laughed too, resting his head on Danny’s shoulder. ‘We should actually leave the room now before he tries to come back to actually get us up.’

‘Do you think he’ll have the nerve?’ Danny asked with a smile.

Asher laughed, pulling away from Danny and getting off the bed. ‘Let’s not chance it.’

Danny nodded and they both found clothes, throwing them on somewhat carelessly. Asher didn’t pay close attention to every detail of his outfit and he didn’t spend more time on his hair than it took to run his fingers through the unruly strands a couple of times. He didn’t feel the pressure to be perfect around Danny. He didn’t mind it when the dark blue shoes he slipped on weren’t a perfect match with the bright blue shirt he was wearing.

He and Danny, when fully dressed, made their way out of the room. When they got to the kitchen they found the coffee all ready to go with a mug and a glass next to it. Asher thanked the lord for his father. He poured coffee into one while Danny sat at the kitchen counter, grabbing an apple out of the fruit bowl and taking a bite into it.

Asher’s earlier dark thoughts were far from his mind as he smelt the rich scent of coffee as it filled the room. He turned to the fridge and grabbed the orange juice, pouring it into the large glass for Danny, who had never been much of a fan of coffee.

Asher stook the bench seat next to his boyfriend, handing him the juice and grabbing an apple for himself.

‘Thank-you,’ Danny said, greedily drinking at the juice. Asher sipped slowly at his coffee.

‘Has your father been looking at any other houses?’ Asher asked him casually but secretly hoping that Danny would deny it. The idea of living next to each other was a dream come true. If he found a way to have both Danny and his place with his friends then life would be perfect.

‘A few,’ Danny shrugged, ‘but just online. I think he’s really excited about the house next door to you. He keeps saying that its perfect from the photo’s online and he seems really excited about the inspection.’

Asher was excited about the inspection too and yet he dreaded the idea of Danny joining his school. Choosing a house was one step closer to that becoming a reality. Confliction overcame his mind and he settled back into the bench seat, taking a bite of his apple.

‘Uh, Hi boys,’ Asher’s father appeared in the doorway with his own coffee cup resting in his hand. ‘Sorry about before, I’ll knock first next time.’

‘Good plan Dad,’ Asher smirked.

The doorbell rang and the three of them left their cups and food in the kitchen, all except Asher who was munching on his apple as he reached the door, Danny and his father not too far behind him.

‘Hey Mr Clark,’ Asher smiled in greeting as the door opened to reveal Danny’s father.

‘Hello everyone,’ he replied, his eyes flicking from Asher to Danny and his father behind him.

Asher walked outside. Danny hugged his father and then came to stand beside his boyfriend. ‘I really hope that my dad does decide to buy the house,’ Danny told Asher almost absentmindedly as he looked over at the house next door. Asher’s gaze followed Danny’s and his eyes were drawn to the huge sign which sat on the lawn. It was black and white with a yellow house logo on the top corner. For Sale was written in bolded letters across the top and Asher wondered if after today there would be a Sold sticker placed firmly over those letters.

‘Let’s hope.’

Asher swung his arm around Danny’s shoulders, pulling him close. With his other hand he took another bite into his apple, crunching it in Danny’s ear.

Danny smiled and leant over to take his own bite of Asher’s apple.

Asher smirked playfully, ‘Hey, you had your own,’ he chastised.

‘Sharing is caring,’ Danny shrugged, speaking with his mouth full of stolen apple.

Their fathers caught up to them, ‘Ready for the long journey?’ Danny’s father asked facetiously.

‘I don’t know if I’ll be able to make the hike,’ Asher whined playfully.

Danny laughed under his arm, ‘We can always leave you somewhere along the track,’ he said casually.

Asher’s eyes widened in affectionate surprise, ‘Well then,’ he retracted his arm away from Danny, ‘I see where I stand.’

Danny was quick to grab Asher’s arm and pull it back over himself, snuggling into Asher’s side. ‘I’m only playing,’ he told Asher hastily.

‘I know,’ Asher reassured him, tightening his hold around Danny’s shoulders and pulling him in for a quick kiss to the forehead, just for extra reassurance.

Their father’s looked on in half amusement and affection. They had seen this play out a thousand times. Asher would joke and Danny would joke back only to immediately regret his decision and rush to make sure that Asher hadn’t taken any real offence to the words said in jest. Asher, as always, would only smile and reassure him.

It was the same tape on repeat but Asher never found boredom in it. It only acted as a reminder over the years of Danny’s sweet nature and also his deep love for Asher. He could see by their father’s amused and adoring expressions that it served as the same reminder for each of them also.

They walked the short distance to the house next door, not bothering to use the footpath set out for them but just walk straight over the grass and small garden which separated the property lines. The house was quite similar to Asher’s own, he noticed. The double storied home was coloured a light shade of brown and featured huge pillars along the front side of the house. Large windows seemed to look down on them from above, especially the centre one which stood tall and proud in the middle of the second story. 

Asher glanced over at the small black car which was parked up against the gutter opposite the house. It had a small yellow house painted on the side with the words Clifford Heights Realty written underneath in fancy writing.

It was then that he noticed that his father and Danny’s father were waving at something, well, somebody. He followed their gaze to the front door of the house where a lady seemed to be poking her head out of. As they got closer she emerged from the front door and waited for them just outside the door, leaning casually against one of the stark white pillars.

‘Margery?’ Danny’s father called out with a smile as their paths met. ‘It’s nice to see you again.’

The woman, named Margery apparently, smiled back so wide that he couldn’t decide if she was good at faking happiness or if she had some sort of crush on Danny’s father. She was a short woman with choppy brown hair that was cut in a way to make her look a little older than her probably thirty year old self.

She extended her manicured hand to Danny’s father, ‘Dale, It’s good to see you too. This must be your family?’ she asked with an edge to her voice as if she wasn’t sure if she was right.  

Danny’s father smiled politely, looking over at Asher’s father. ‘This is my friend, Alan, who lives over in that house there. This is his son Asher and my son Danny.’

Asher smiled politely at the woman as his name was said but didn’t take his arm from around Danny or make any attempt to hide the half eaten apple that resided in his palm. In fact, just as she looked at him, he took a bite out of it, not really caring what she thought of him until he was sure she wasn’t going to make some sly remark about him and Danny. He knew that people could be cruel. Asher was fiercely protective of Danny and that wasn’t going to change by a too big smile from the unknown woman.

She seemed a little taken aback but she was also radiant since finding that Dale was in fact straight and single, to her knowledge. ‘Well, isn’t that lovely, it’s nice to meet all of you,’ she said kindly and Asher’s protective hold on Danny released. His hand just hung loosely now instead of holding tight.

Danny, not fostering any of the same distrust for people that Asher did, gave her a smile, ‘Thank-you for showing us the house today.’

‘It’s my pleasure, Danny,’ she told him. She then nodded towards the house, ‘Now, why don’t I give you all a tour of the house and then we can go from there?’

‘Sounds perfect,’ Asher’s father said.

They all followed her through the door and into the foyer of the house. The inside of this home was quite different to Asher’s own, he realised. The foyer included both of the stories and the light from that huge window was shining on them as they stood on the tiled floors.

A huge staircase stood tall to their left and curved slightly as it led up to the second floor. Asher was admiring it as Margery gestured towards the hallway, ‘Let’s start the tour!’ she exclaimed with a little too much enthusiasm. Their fathers didn’t seem to mind it and Asher just found her excitement catchy. Soon enough he was a little eager to explore the entire house to see what lay behind all of these closed doors. 

They followed the woman into the living room and then the kitchen. Asher retracted his arm from around Danny’s shoulders as they walked into the mid-sized kitchen. He sat down at a kitchen bench, taking a bite of his apple. Danny didn’t join him, instead favouring to stand next to their fathers who were asking questions about square footage and what appliances came with the house and blah blah. Asher tuned them out, instead he twisted on the bench seat to look around him. The kitchen was empty of most things which further lead him to believe that the previous owners didn’t live here anymore and must have moved out.

The kitchen led out onto a deck out the back which sat opposite a large pool. Asher looked out over the pool to the small garden and line of trees which fenced the property line, hiding most of the actual fence which resided behind. He placed the eaten apple on the top of the bench, mentally setting a reminder to grab it before he left.

‘Hey,’ Asher turned at the sound. Danny was standing at the entrance to the kitchen, waving him over.

Asher left his apple on the counter and walked over to Danny. He passed the woman and their father’s on the way who were deep in conversation about kitchen cabinets.

‘What’s up?’ Asher asked in a hushed tone.

‘You look bored, let’s go explore,’ Danny said.

Asher was a little surprised. He had assumed that Danny would be all into the price range and square footage and all that. ‘I thought you would be knee deep in that cabinet conversation going on over there. A real nail biter that one is.’ 

Danny chuckled, ‘I can talk to Dad about the cabinet quality another time, let’s go explore.’

‘But,’ Asher reasoned with a cheeky smile, ‘what if the cabinets are just made of terrible materials and you have to re-do the entire kitchen to make sure that it’s up to your standards, what-’

Asher was stopped short when Danny kissed him square on the lips. ‘Stop talking,’ he pled as he pulled away. His lips held that perfect mix of sweet and cheeky. ‘I love you but please stop talking.’

Asher laughed and then nodded gratefully, happy to spend time exploring with Danny alone. He assumed that it would probably be more fun than listening to boring conversations with the other three.

Danny’s hand slipped between Asher’s own and their fingers intertwined between them. ‘Where do you want to explore?’ he asked Danny.

‘Upstairs,’ he said. Danny led him back through the hallway and into the foyer. They then ventured up the stairs. They walked around the top floor hand in hand, Danny eager to open doors and see what mysteries lay behind. Mainly all they found were carpeted bedrooms with large windows and high ceilings.

They opened one door which led them into a bathroom. It was so white and pristine that Asher worried slightly if his dirty shoes would leave marks on the spotless tiles. Danny was quite the opposite as it seemed and just walked straight into the room. He walked around it, seemingly evaluating each object that was contained in the space.

Asher, leaving his neat ways at the threshold, wandered into the room and jumped right in the tub.

Danny gave him a mildly disapproving look, ‘What are you doing in the tub?’ he asked.

Asher shrugged, ‘Just making sure it will fit both of us.’

Danny blushed. He then moved to stand before the giant mirror which was fixed against the tiled wall. Danny placed his hands against the black, shiny basin. ‘This basin is huge. This can be where we both wash our teeth at the same time like an adorable old couple,’ he smiled that gorgeous smile over at Asher.

Asher stood up in the tub and glanced at the shower head above it, ‘And this is where we can have hot, hot shower sex.’

‘We have very different minds,’ Danny commented nonchalantly but Asher could see the pulled edges of his lips that told of his amusement. Asher wasn’t joking though and he decided they would need some sort of shower mat on this tub floor to prevent a concussion if they ever were to have hot, hot shower sex. He didn’t mention that to the already blushing Danny, though.

Danny looked over at him and extended his hand, ‘Coming out of the tub?’ he asked.

Asher nodded and took Danny’s hand, stepping over the side of the tub. He didn’t let go of Danny’s hand, instead he threaded their fingers together and led them out of the room. They continued their exploration of the house, side by side.

‘What do you think of the house?’ Danny asked him as they stepped inside one of the bedrooms. This one would probably be Danny’s room if they did move in as it was the second biggest of the three bedrooms in the house.

‘It’s going to be your house, so it doesn’t matter what I think,’ Asher concluded as he walked slowly around the room with Danny firmly beside him.

Danny stopped them in their tracks and turned his gaze to Asher but he didn’t speak. Danny looked at Asher like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. He spoke slowly, cautious in his tone, ‘You know I don’t have to move so close if you don’t want.’

Asher’s eyes narrowed and confusion flooded his mind. ‘What are you talking about?’

Danny shrugged. It wasn’t nervous or worrisome, just casual. Asher could see that it was a mask, covering up a worry that ran deeper. ‘I don’t know, I just don’t want you to feel like I’m invading your space or something. I mean we are going from an hours distance to thirty seconds, I just want to make sure that you are okay with it.’

Asher tugged on Danny’s hand, meeting their eyes, ‘If it was up to me then we would be living in the same house, in the same room,’ he told him truthfully. ‘If I could, I would handcuff us together so that we could never be apart.’

Danny’s expression softened tenfold. ‘That’s a bit stalkery,’ Danny commented in jest but the sweet smile on his face made sure that Asher knew not to take it seriously.

‘You love it,’ Asher muttered. He then gave Danny a passionate kiss, pouring love and affection into every movement. When he pulled back he was glad that there were no remnants of Danny’s previous insecurity on his face. 

‘I love you,’ Danny smiled widely.

‘I love you too,’ Asher told him genuinely, squeezing his hand.  

They walked out of the room together, only to come face to face with their fathers and Margery who were just about to enter the same room. ‘We were starting to wonder where you two had gone off to,’ Margery smiled at them.

‘So,’ Danny’s father looked at them. ‘What do you two think?’

‘I think the house is perfect,’ Asher told them with conviction. He needed Danny to know that there was sincerity behind what he had said before.

Danny shared a smile with Asher, speaking to his father but his eyes never left Asher’s. ‘I agree.’

‘Perfect,’ Dale smiled back. ‘If you guys want to wait downstairs we will finish the tour then talk offers.’

They nodded and made their way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Asher took a seat at the same bench seat he had been at before. Danny went to sit next to him but Asher pulled him by the waist until he was sitting on his lap. Danny looked over his shoulder and smiled brightly at Asher.

Asher looked out over the yard, ‘Buddy will be happy with this big yard to play in.’

Danny nodded, ‘I think we will all be happy here.’

Asher pressed his lips to Danny’s forehead. He hoped that Danny was right.