James was growing, and he was growing into a handsome young man. Even in his second-hand clothes, he was absolutely stunning, and John was becoming more aware of it every passing day. Large russet eyes, full lips, and chubby cheeks made for a boy who would be a heartbreaker one day- if he wasn't already. He had less time to play with the little boy who fell from the sky as he entered secondary schooling, and he'd already began to form his own social group.

That hurt John the most.

There was a blond boy, big and strong, that had managed to catch James' eye. Sebastian, John often found himself thinking with a frown. My name is better. James talked about him constantly to the little star, who'd been growing right alongside him. John sat out on the grass beside him one night, looking up into the dark expanse of the sky. Home. Is this really my home?

"Did you hear me? I said he tossed the little bastard right into the pool. It was wonderful."

John ran a hand through his gold streaked hair. "Sorry. I must have spaced out." The Irish boy smirked and looked over at him.

"You do that a lot when I talk about Seb. You also tend to glow blue."

"What? I do not."

James chuckled. "You're blue right now, Johnny."

John looked at his hand and glared at it. A soft azure aura flickered around his shining skin.

"Blue stars burn the hottest," James remarked. "I learned that in science last year. That raises the question of why you change to a hotter colour."

The star grimaced and looked away. "I wouldn't know."

"It's only when Seb comes up, too. You don't change when I complain about Sherlock, or Irene… it's just Seb." James rolled onto his stomach and peered up at John, who'd begun floating in his distress. "Are you jealous, Johnny?"

John swallowed and lifted his chin. "No, no, of course not. You can spend time with anyone you want. It's fine, it's all fine. I can manage."

James peered at him a moment, still as the grave. John closed his eyes- a big mistake. James pounced on him, tackling him to the grass and pinning him with expert grace. He was warm, though he felt cool against John's star-heated skin. "You know you're my best friend, right?" James purred, his eyes black in John's dark glow. The star-boy nodded, looking up at him with wonder. "No one will replace you, Johnny. Seb's my friend too, but I'm not… it's not the same. What you mean to me, and what he means to me… they aren't the same thing. You saved my life, time and time again. You kept me safe. You're all the good in my life. Do you really think I'd just forget you?"

"You've just… been distant, and you talk about him so much, James, I can't help it, I just get…"

"Jealous," James finished with a smirk.

"Yeah. Jealous." John grew shy, his eyes dropping from Jim's. It's not the same.

The young Irish boy cupped John's jaw and tilted his head back. "You know you don't need to worry. I think deep down, you can tell how much more you mean to me. How different you are from him." His voice had dropped an octave, a low brogue that rumbled in his chest. John shivered at the sound.

"Then why haven't you been coming back? Why don't you invite me along? How am I still-"

James silenced him by capturing his lips in a rough kiss, one hand slipping up to toy with his golden locks. John groaned and kissed him back, wrapping his arms around James' elegant neck. He tasted strange- apples John knew, but the other, the bitter, burning flavour, he couldn't place. He was still young, still learning, and he'd never encountered that before. If James knew he was curious, he might have told him it was 'whiskey and cigarettes', but those meant nothing to the innocent little star who kept the darkness at bay.

John didn't know why James kept him at a distance now, but there was a reason- he didn't want him to see what he was becoming. He'd never told him of Carl Powers, the bully who made fun of his 'imaginary friend' the star, the bully he took care of while John was stuck at home, hiding. He didn't tell him their sweets were nicked from the Tesco a mile south. He didn't tell him that Sebastian snuck him liquor from his father's private stash and that one night, while completely pissed, they stole a car and crashed it into a tree in the rich part of town. John was pure, John was good, and James didn't want to snuff that light out. He didn't want John to change, or grow to hate him. James wanted John to stay sweet, and beautiful, and kind- even if the human boy couldn't.

John was pressed against him, the color of his glow fading back to the warm gold James was used to. When he pulled back, John giggled up at him. "Gold." the whispered, thumbing James' lips. The boy grinned down at him. "I like it, the little marks you leave with even the faintest kiss."

"But I haven't kissed you in years."

"I never forgot."

John flushed pink and licked his lips. "That's sweet of you to remember." He thinks about me. He remembers me. I'm important.

"I don't kiss anyone else, John. I've had offers, sure, but I was… waiting. For you. I just needed a little confirmation first. And now I know."

"Know what?" John asked, genuinely curious.

"How you feel about me. The jealousy, the way your eyes linger on me, the loneliness you feel… Johnny Boy, you like me." James tapped his nose. "And I like you too. You're special. You mean more to me than anyone else, and… John, there's nothing I wouldn't do to protect you. From anyone or anything."

"... Kiss me again."

It didn't take long for things to escalate. John burned hot and needy, falling apart with every deep kiss and every soft caress of his naked body. He didn't understand why he couldn't get enough, why the heat built within his stomach. "James," he whined, pressing his hips against him. "Help… I don't, I don't know what…" Just the sight of him, glowing and writhing and breathing hard, made James' head spin.

"I've got you, Johnny. It's alright."

One well-placed, shy lick to the glittering precome leaking from his head was all it took to seal their night. There on the grass, beneath the shining night sky, James claimed the fallen boy as his own. John moaned his name and arched his spine, warm and wet around him as their bodies came together again and again. Lips pressed against smooth skin, hands tangled in soft hair, toes curled and cries echoed off the trees. Covered in sweat and absolutely spent, glittering with John's release, the two boys lay entwined, giggling and kissing and fighting to stay awake.

"James?"

"Yeah?"

"... I… I love you."

"I love you too, Johnny."

To John and James alike, it was the most beautiful night of their lives, and the star clung to its memory as the year passed.

Because, three days later, James vanished.