Ever since he was a little kid, Vic has loved the stars. It's not just because of the way the bright lights contrast the dark night sky, even though that's pretty damn beautiful. No, Vic loves the stars because one of his happiest and most prominent childhood memories is stargazing with his dad.
Vic remembers that night when he was nine years old; his dad had taken him on a camping trip, just the two of them for some father-and-son bonding. Vic had been excited, but nine-year-olds are easily excitable.
He remembers how they had gone fishing during the day; it was the first time Vic had ever been on a boat and he almost fell and landed in the lake, but thankfully his dad caught him. The air had been thick and warm, so it would have been a relief to splash around in the cool water, but he was thankful all the same. Vic had caught a total of one fish, and it was the coolest thing ever because it was the first fish he'd ever caught, and his dad had told him it was one of the biggest fish he'd ever seen, although he was probably lying.
And then, after the sun went down, Vic remembers how his dad got a bunch of blankets and lay down to stare at the sky, beckoning for Vic to join him. It had been the first time Vic had even considered the beauty of the night sky, and it was an experience he would never forget. The air was now cool and crisp to breathe, with a light breeze blowing through the trees around them.
"See that right there?" His father had asked, stretching out his arm to point at a seemingly random cluster of stars. "That's the Big Dipper."
Vic had to squint his eyes just a little, peering through the fireflies buzzing around them, but when he saw the constellation he was amazed. "Woah, that's so cool." His voice was soft, just barely above a whisper, and his dad chuckled beside him.
"Yeah, it is pretty cool, isn't it?" There was a few moments of silence, laced with the sound of crickets chirping and the campfire crackling, before Vic's father spoke up again.
"Vic, son, promise me something," he said, and Vic turned to look at him.
"Sure, dad," he replied, a little confused at what he wanted.
"Promise me that you'll never take the people you love for granted, okay? I'm not just talking about your mother or Mike, I mean the other people in your life, who you haven't met yet but will someday. Just, never hesitate to tell them how much you love them, alright?" His voice cracked a little towards the end, but at the time Vic didn't know why.
"Okay, dad. I promise," he said easily. They spent the rest of the night watching the sky.
Just a few months later, Vic's dad died. He'd drank himself to death, and through his distress, Vic vaguely realised what he'd been trying to tell him that night under the stars. It had been his way of saying goodbye, leaving Vic with advice that he wished he could take himself, and for the following years, Vic never hesitated in saying "I love you."
Now, stargazing had become one of his favourite things to do to pass the time, and whenever he looked at the night sky, he thought of his father's words and was filled with a want to have a loved one nearby.
Vic lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, bored out of his mind and not tired in the least. It was eleven at night and he had work tomorrow, but he just couldn't sleep.
Glancing to his right, he admired the sight of his boyfriend sleeping next to him. Kellin had an arm draped across Vic's torso, with his head buried in his shoulder. Vic smiled, pulling him closer.
He and Kellin had been dating for a little over two years, and Vic was still hopelessly in love. Whether it was his soft black hair, his bright blue eyes, his gorgeous laugh, his pale skin... Kellin was perfect in every way and Vic would never get bored of him.
But he still couldn't sleep.
Letting out a soft sigh, Vic shifted positions slightly, attempting to get more comfortable, but in the process he woke Kellin up. The blue eyed boy let out a quiet groan, his eyes cracking open slightly, stretching his limbs.
"Sorry," Vic whispered, caressing Kellin's cheek in a soothing manner. "I didn't mean to wake you up."
"It's okay," Kellin replied in a tired voice, leaning into his boyfriend's comforting touch. "Why are you still awake?"
Vic bit his lip, considering if he should tell Kellin or not, but he knew his boyfriend wouldn't go back to sleep unless he knew what was wrong.
"I just can't sleep," he murmured honestly. "It's no big deal, though. Don't worry about it."
Kellin simply stared at him for a while, blinking tiredly every few seconds, before sighing and sitting up slightly.
"What are you doing?" Vic asked, confused. In the moonlight coming through the window, he could just see Kellin rolling his eyes fondly before he replied.
"I'm not about to go to sleep while you just lie there; it's not fair. I'll stay up with you." His voice was still quiet, but it was clear he wasn't going to back down.
Vic sighed, but didn't put up a fight. In fact, he was glad Kellin was willing to stay up with him, it just fueled his love even more. Sitting up, he scooted closer to where his boyfriend sat, and wrapped his arms around him. Kellin leaned his head on Vic's shoulder, burying his face in his neck and breathing in deeply. Vic's fingers traced patterns into Kellin's back, and Kellin knew he had to do something now or he would definitely fall back asleep.
Pulling back a little, he took Vic's hands in his own and smiled, looking into his boyfriend's eyes lovingly. "So, what do you wanna do? What's gonna make you tired?" He asked.
Vic thought for a moment, considering his options. They could go downstairs and watch a movie on the couch, cuddling under the blankets. Or they could listen to music, holding hands and getting lost in the sound. Or they could simply talk, have conversations about stupid and domestic things that had no meaning, speaking softly with their legs tangled.
Finally, when he noticed Kellin yawning, Vic made a decision. He thought of that night with his dad so many years ago, and the promise he'd made. He loved Kellin, he loved the stars, and now he could combine them both.
"Let's go outside and look at the stars," he said, and it sounded so childish but, now that he said it out loud, Vic realised how long it had been since he had done just that. Now was the perfect opportunity.
Kellin's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "But it's cold."
Vic had to let out a little laugh at how adorable his boyfriend was, and he squeezed his hands lovingly. "We'll get some blankets and sit out on the balcony. It's a clear night tonight, we should be able to see the sky. Come on, I promise I'll keep you warm." And now Vic was grinning, because the mere idea of looking at the stars with the love of his life by his side was simply beautiful.
Kellin looked like he was considering it, and finally he let a small smile grace his lips. "Okay, sure. You get the blankets, I'll meet you on the balcony."
Vic's grin widened, and he leaned forward,capturing Kellin's lips in a sweet and gentle kiss. "I love you," he murmured, before getting up and heading to the closet where they kept the blankets.
Behind him, he could hear Kellin standing up and walking to the balcony door, opening it and stepping outside. Vic soon joined him, and he shivered when the cool air hit his skin. Sitting on the deck chair, he grabbed Kellin's hand and tugged him down so that he was draped over him. Kellin spread the blankets over them both, and then he snuggled closer to Vic.
They both lay there, looking up at the sky, admiring the way the the stars twinkled. Vic was right, it was a clear night and it was like they could see everything. The night sky was a dark backdrop to the display of bright lights that shone down on them. The moon was full, a milky white circle up above, and there was a slight breeze in the air. It was just like that night years ago and it was beautiful.
Vic quickly spotted the Big Dipper, the first constellation he'd ever seen, and he smiled. If he looked at it the right way, focused on the cool breeze and ignored the lack of fireflies and campfire, he could block everything else out and pretend that he was nine years old again, on a camping trip with his dad. But he didn't want to, because now he was twenty-six and he was stargazing with his amazing boyfriend, cuddling on their balcony, and that was way better.
"Wow," Kellin whispered, and Vic turned to look at him, smiling. No matter how amazing the sky looked, Kellin was a sight that Vic could stare at forever.
"Yeah," he murmured back, tightening his arms around his boyfriend, and Kellin turned his head so that their eyes met. Vic would never get tired of looking into Kellin's eyes, drowning in the deep expanse of blue. He leaned forward, brushing their lips together softly, before kissing Kellin properly, relishing in the feeling of Kellin's hand running through his hair. The kiss was close-mouthed and lasted for a few seconds, Kellin's lips pressing against his.
Pulling back slightly, Vic kept his eyes closed and nudged his nose against Kellin's, breathing quietly and enjoying the warmth. Kellin's legs were tangled with his, and Vic could hear crickets chirping softly in the background, their song wonderfully familiar and filling him with nostalgia. The sound brought him back to reality, and he opened his eyes, running his hands up and down Kellin's sides.
Vic never thought he could love someone as much as he did now, but here he was, lying under the stars with the most beautiful boy in the world, the love of his life. He never wanted this moment to end, and when Kellin tucked his head under his chin, snuggling closer, Vic let his eyes drift shut as sleep overtook him.