Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

1:00am
Veritas looked at the digital clock in his room and took a deep breath, preparing himself to break his family’s rules yet another night. It was a dilemma that had haunted him for the past months, but he always found the strength to sneak out. He pondered for a while and he came to the conclusion that he was no liar nor coward: if he backed out from this, there was no hope for him to become a renowned researcher.
He lifted the blankets slowly, careful not to make any noise, and got out of the bed. There was no need for him to dress nicely, but he refused to go outside dressed in pajamas, even if the one he was about to meet was a friend of his. He put on some warm clothes and a coat, then went outside his room after checking the clock again.

1:09am
It had taken him more than expected to put on some clothes, but it was going to be okay, he wouldn’t be late, he never was.
He tiptoed through the house, mentally thanking his parents for choosing to cover almost the entirety of the floor with carpets. Then the hardest part came: exiting the house.
He knew that there was no way for him to get out from the main entrance, since he would have gotten caught immediately, so he headed towards the ground floor’s bathroom, opened the window and snuck outside.
He looked around, careful not to alert any passerby, and he leaped over the fencing.
He checked his phone.

1:14am
He barely had a minute.
He headed right, getting farther and farther from his home, then turned left and entered a small park. As soon as the silhouette of a boy sitting on their bench got caught by his eyes, he smiled. The silhouette waved at him, waiting patiently for Veritas to sit on the bench.

-Quarter past one, as punctual as always, Veritas.- Said his friend, moving closer to him.
-Of course, punctuality is a trait that anyone should learn to develop. You should too, Aventurine.-
The other laughed, as their faces slowly, but steadily got closer.
-What do you mean by that? I’m always on time when it comes to our… lessons.-
-”On time”? I’d say you’re here early every night, did you think I wouldn’t notice?-
Their voices became whispers, both fighting against the desire to talk more and the one to get to the core of their meeting.
-Oh but Veritas, what kind of teacher would I be if I didn’t show up a little earlier than my student?-
Their lips touched lightly once, then twice; Veritas brought a hand to his friend’s cheek, kissing him a third time. 
-You talk too much for someone that should teach me how to shut up and kiss.-
The blond laughed, making every inch of his body tremble. There was something captivating about his voice, something that made him stop thinking straight, something he couldn’t stand; luckily, there was a solution to everything: the more they kissed, the less Aventurine talked; the less Aventurine talked, the better it was for Veritas’ mind.
-Look at how impatient you’ve gotten.- Teased him the blond, before kissing him again, now with more passion, moving even closer.
No words were exchanged between the two for a while, as their mouths were busy with that lesson of theirs.

Soon, Aventurine found himself sitting on Veritas’ lap, trying to get closer and closer, as if they could merge only by making out; at the same time, Veritas started getting farther and farther, slowly parting with the blond’s lips, smiling at the sight of the other following him. He chuckled, giving the blond a last peck on the lips before taking a break.
It took Aventurine every drop of his strength to refrain himself from closing the gap immediately and kiss again those plump lips.
-Aw Ver, you even learnt how to tease people, hm?-
-What can I say, I’m a fast learner.-
-I wouldn’t exactly say that, considering we’ve been at this for two months now.-
Veritas’ eyebrows got closer as he glared at Aventurine.
-Come on, don’t look at me like that. You’ve done a good job so far, you should be proud of yourself!-
-I never said I wasn’t.- He said confidently, while hugging the blond closer. -Be ready to see me get better than you next time.-
Aventurine sighed, hiding his face in the crook of his neck; he forced a smile and placed a light kiss on the exposed skin.
-You wish.-

Something Veritas would never know, was the fact that he was already way better than Aventurine when it came to kissing. Yes, it all started with him being a complete mess, but he was indeed a fast learner: he first adapted to Aventurine, following his lead, studying every movement he made; then, before Aventurine could even realize, he was the one following the other’s lead, melting at his touch, losing his breath at each kiss.
It didn’t take long for him to understand he was starting to fall for his friend.

-And, since we're talking about the next time- Started Veritas -I think we could meet up at home, when my parents are at work.-
Immediately, something in Aventurine’s mind shifted. His heartbeat got faster and he could feel his palms getting sweaty.
-Are you sure?- He asked, meeting his eyes. -Didn’t you say they don’t want me around you because you skipped a day of school once with me?-
Veritas grimaced at the thought.
-Yes. That is why I suggested you come when they’re not home. I know you’re in public school, but I hope they didn’t forget to teach you some hearing and reading comprehension skills.-
-Don’t blame it on the school, Ver, teachers are trying their best!- He laughed, feeling even more anxious than before.
-I suppose you’re right.- A kiss was exchanged between the two; if Veritas initiated it because he had caught on Aventurine’s uneasiness, was something he would never know. 
-So, do you think you can come on Tuesday after your classes?-
Aventurine thought about it for a second, then nodded, still feeling reclutant.
-Then I’ll be waiting for you.-

Chapter Text

Tuesday came quickly.
Saying that Aventurine was feeling anxious about their encounter would be an euphemism, since that’s the only thing that had been on his mind since early in the morning. His heart skipped beats whenever he thought about stepping inside Veritas’ room, his head was filled with nothing but his friend, and what the two would do; it is fair to say that his thoughts had gone overboard multiple times, going as far as to think Veritas would confess his love to him, but he was not one to get carried away from fantasies, or so he wanted to believe. Nothing his teachers had said that morning had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of his brain, as no information other than his plans for the afternoon was able to pass the barrier he himself put.

He took the bus to get closer to Veritas’ house; it wasn’t usual for him to use public transportation, as he preferred walking, but he wanted to get there as soon as possible. 
During the twenty minute ride, Aventurine thought about the time he learnt that Veritas had no clue as to how to kiss someone. 
It had happened a few months prior.
He had started hearing rumors about a smart guy from another school rejecting everyone who confessed to him, even their prettiest classmate; these stories then quickly escalated, until it came to people saying he had never kissed anybody, which was seemingly a big deal for them. Aventurine, being a curious man, asked for details about the person they were talking about and as soon as he learnt it was his friend they were talking about, he brought up the topic to Veritas.

-That is correct, I haven't indulged in such activities. I don't understand why you would find it so strange.-

Even though puzzled, Aventurine tried to push him a little, eventually convincing him to try once.

-Consider it an experiment. You first try it, then, if it's something you get interested in, you can come to me and I'll teach you more about it. How does it sound?-
-It sounds reasonable enough.-

And they tried once, then twice, then it became their weekly routine.

He smiled while thinking about their first kisses; he indulged in those memories until it finally came time to get off the bus.
Aventurine quickly checked his appearance on his phone’s reflection: he was looking nice, as always. There was nothing he was more proud of than his looks, something Veritas never failed to judge.
“It is not one’s appearance that matters, rather, it’s a person’s ability to think in a critical way that makes them valuable options in terms of a relationship.” Veritas had said once, when Aventurine was telling him about a new love interest of his who had remarkable looks.
He thought about his words from time to time, especially when he tried to picture them as a couple: was Aventurine’s way of thinking intriguing enough for someone like Veritas? Was he knowledgeable enough for someone as smart as he was? He thought about this even as he headed towards Veritas’ house, letting himself get drowned by thoughts that made him even more anxious to step inside.
He pressed the button on the intercom and waited.
He took a deep breath trying to relax, and the entrance opened.

-Welcome.- Veritas said, as he kept the door open for his friend to step inside. -I’m glad to see you came earlier than I expected.-
Aventurine laughed, slowly feeling his heartbeat in his throat. -Surprise, my friend! We don’t have much time, do we? I thought it’d be better to be fast and come here by bus. Was it a bad idea?-
The door closed behind Aventurine and he took off his coat, leaving it on the hanger. Before he could get farther from the entrance, he felt a pair of hands on his hips stopping him.
-No, it was rather smart of you.-
Aventurine felt Veritas get closer, hug him from behind, kiss the back of his neck. It all felt so surreal he couldn’t help but hold his breath and tilt his head a little, letting Veritas proceed with his trail of kisses.
-What’s with your impatience today? Did you miss me that much?- Managed to whisper Aventurine, afraid that speaking up louder would have made Veritas wake up from the weird trance he seemed to be in.
Kisses slowly became soft bites as they got closer to the blond’s ear, making him shiver.
-Hm, it’s only been three days…- Murmured Veritas, not actually answering any of his questions and focusing more on licking his lobe, nibbling at it; Aventurine couldn't help but think he was dreaming. Was it really Veritas? Was his mind playing pranks on him? 

As much as he appreciated the attention he was getting, it really felt surreal; so he tried to push it a little, trying to check if Veritas would back out or not. In Aventurine's mind, his friend would have never done anything more.

He took Veritas’ hands, guiding them to the hem of his shirt, letting him know that he was free to get under it, that he was free to touch him, and, to Aventurine’s surprise, the young man didn’t fail to get the hint: soon, warm hands caressed his body starting from his hips, then his belly, going up to his chest. There, Veritas’ touch became uncertain.
A small smile appeared on the blond’s face, happy to haven't misinterpreted his actions. He put his hands back on Veritas’ ones and guided him, showing him how to touch his body in the best way.
While his hands were busy teaching, his mouth quickly became busy following Veritas’ kiss, tasting the remnant of toothpaste on his tongue.
“Strawberry”, he thought, while trying his best not to make any noise.

Only when neither of them had any more breath, their lips parted. Aventurine felt Veritas’ eyes on him as he panted, almost gasping for air.
-How lewd.- Teased Veritas. -Who knew you could become such a mess only with a couple of kisses?-
Aventurine smirked and stepped away from him, freeing himself from those hot hands he had started to love. 
-Imagine how much of a mess I could become if only someone wasn't a coward.-
-Coward, you say…-
Quickly, Veritas took Aventurine’s hand, leading him to his bedroom.
The blond followed him blindly: in that moment, it all felt like a dream, not even his deepest fantasies had thought of a scenario such as that one.
-I think you are mistaken, Aventurine.- The dark haired man said, closing the door behind them and trapping his friend between his body and the door itself. -Cowardice is not a trait that belongs to me.-
Aventurine felt his cheeks heat up, his heartbeat quicken, his breath shorten, even though he had enough time to breathe. He brought his arms around Veritas’ neck, holding him closer, and tried his best not to get distracted by those lips he fell for, only to look him in the eyes.
-Well then, show me what a brave one like you is able to do to.-
They kissed again, passionately. It was messy; it was intense; it sent shivers down Aventurine’s spine. To be fair, anything Veritas did made him shiver: the way he touched his body, the way he kissed his neck, bit his collarbone, took off his clothes; heavens, even the way Veritas looked at him as if he needed him clouded his mind.
And while he was there, lying underneath Veritas, he couldn’t take his eyes off of him. With both bodies bare, exposed, it was hard for either of them to refrain from staring.

Veritas took his time: he looked at Aventurine’s face, then his neck, his collarbones, his nipples, his belly, his member. And there he stopped, with a pensive look on his face.
Aventurine looked at him, worried: did Veritas just realize he was about to sleep with a man? Was he expecting something else? Was he going to back out?
-Ver…- Murmured Aventurine. Immediately, Veritas looked at him.
-I don’t think we can do it.- He said, making the blond’s heart sink. A wave of anxiety started drowning Aventurine, followed by sadness, guilt, and lastly, the intense desire to disappear.
-I don’t have lube… nor condoms.- Added the young man, averting the blond’s gaze, embarrassed.
After a moment of silence, Aventurine got hit by immense relief, which made his eyes tear up. He hugged Veritas closer, giving him a peck on the lips. -It’s fine, there’s still plenty of things we can do. Let me show you.-
With the new found peace, Aventurine switched their positions; he kissed Veritas again before leaving a trail of kisses on his body, until he met his length. The blond looked at his friend’s face, noticing how red it was. He smirked, pleased by the sight and by the sounds that started coming from Veritas’ mouth as soon as he started licking his member. He did his best to please the man, to earn more moans, to be looked at with lust. Everything in Veritas' behaviour screamed “I want you”, from the way his eyes shone, to the way he grabbed his hair to guide him, and the way he did everything he could to leave marks on his body and please Aventurine.

After some time, they had both become a mess: their hair was all over the place, their skin was sticky, a mix of sweat, saliva and cum was both on their bodies and the sheets; their lips were swollen; their breaths were short. As they held each other close, Aventurine could feel Veritas’ heartbeat.
-Are you okay Ver? It seems like you’re about to die.- Teased him, while looking at his beautiful and messed up face.
-If I were to die here, I’d have such a great regret that I’d become a wandering ghost.-
-Regret? What are you talking about? Don’t tell me you regret doing this with me, because I wouldn’t believe you.- If some parts of Aventurine were worried, it was something Veritas could never know.
-You really must be an idiot.- He answered, holding him closer; the blond took the opportunity to rest his head on the young man’s chest. -I regret not buying anything that we could have used.-
Surprised, Aventurine looked at him. He laughed, yet again.
-This is nothing to laugh about.-
-It is. You were planning on doing this when you asked me to come, weren't you? So why didn’t you buy anything? It seems like you are just as stupid as you claim I am.-
Veritas glared at him, his ears and cheeks still tainted red.
-I wasn’t really planning on doing anything like that. I wanted to do the usual.-
-So why did you provoke me like that? Did you think I would be too scared to take the bait?-
-Honestly, I don’t know.- Veritas sighed.
Suddenly, his heartbeat quickened, Aventurine noticed; and Veritas told the blond to stand up.
-I don’t know what time it is, but I believe my mother’s going to be home soon. I think it’s better you clean yourself up quickly and go.-
-Oh, you’re right, sorry.-
Then, as fast as he could, Aventurine cleaned himself up and got ready to go back home.
In the meantime, Veritas put on some clothes and when they were both done, they headed to the hall.
-Uhm… see you on Friday, at the same hour?- Asked the blond, when he was done putting on his coat.
Veritas nodded, wearing a soft smile on his face.
-Yes. See you on Friday.-
Aventurine opened the door, ready to go.
A hand grabbed his wrist, not allowing him to step outside: it was Veritas, once again restraining his movements. The young man got closer, giving Aventurine a last kiss, soft, full of love.
-I’ll be on time, as always.-
Aventurine smiled, his brain melting because of the softness in Veritas’ actions. He would have loved to stay more, to kiss him again, to embrace him and stay with him the whole evening, the whole night, even. But he couldn’t.
They greeted each other once more, and Aventurine stepped outside, slowly walking away from that house only to see a familiar car parked nearby. His heart skipped a beat, as he quickly took out his phone to text Veritas.

«Hey, I hope you’re alright. I think your mom’s car is outside. Please tell me if anything happens.»

Chapter Text

Days passed, and Aventurine still hadn't heard anything from Veritas. 

They weren't used to texting each other often, but they did exchange a few messages during the day, and he had received a total of zero texts since Tuesday. The idea that his mother could have done something was eating Aventurine's insides, blocking the entrance to his stomach and cutting his airflow when he started thinking too much. 
In only a couple of days his body started getting weaker, due to the lack of sleep and food; but eventually Friday came, and he couldn't help but look forward to meeting Veritas. He knew he might have gotten in trouble, but Aventurine trusted him, he would have never skipped one of their meetings. 
So he sat on the same bench that night, half an hour before the time Veritas should have come. 

00:45am

He gazed at the stars, hoping to find some kind of solace in their company. He liked looking at them: they were the friends he did not have. He talked to the stars, telling them about his day, about his classmates, about Veritas. They held every secret Aventurine had, taking off of him some of the weight he carried. Stars were his best friends, as they were unable to judge his appearance, his thoughts, his feelings. They couldn't judge him because they were stars, and stars live beyond humanity. 
He got lost in his thoughts that night too, while waiting for Veritas, and it was only the sight of a falling star that woke him up from that trance. He smiled, wishing for Veritas to come soon.
He checked his phone: still no messages. 

1:05am

There were only ten minutes left.
Now that Aventurine checked the time, he couldn't stop thinking about it. Every second put an unbearable weight on him.

1:06am

Nine more minutes. 
He started looking for some songs he could put on while he waited, hoping that would distract him from the time.

1:07am

It didn't quite work, he still saw that a minute had passed, and he had to wait eight more.
He gave up on finding the song, so he stood up and started walking around the park.

1:09am

Walking helped a little, he didn't check the phone for two whole minutes before feeling the urge to do so.
Six minutes to go, his heart started racing.
He sat down on the slide, folding himself in two, trying to take deep breaths and remain hopeful.

1:13am

Feeling bad helped him not to check the phone for four minutes, which was good, but at the same time he felt like he was in the depths of hell.
He laid down on the slide, looking once again at the stars, asking them to fulfill his wish.

1:14am

He started counting the seconds that separated him from Veritas.
One, two, three, four… and then fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty.

1:15am

Aventurine stood up, looking at the park’s entrance.
Veritas would come, he knew it, he was a punctual man after all. 
So he waited, and waited. 
Until the clock went forward. 
Until 1:30am was written on the screen.

-Why is he late…? Why is he still not here?- He asked the stars as he laid down on the slide, trying to ignore the weight on his chest; but nothing worked against that feeling of helplessness. 

He tried to think about something else, he tried to listen to happy songs, he tried talking to the stars. In the end, it was embracing that feeling that helped him the most. 
He stayed silent, listened to calm songs, and thought about Veritas. Tears ran on his cheeks as he slowly started feeling better. His heart stopped beating as fast, his mind cleared up a little, and he started to focus on the environment’s sounds: a bird flapping its wings, the wind blowing through the branches, a car passing, steps.

He heard steps.

As if electricity had run through his body, Aventurine got up, looking at a familiar silhouette. He had no time or will to think about his actions: in that moment he only wanted to get close to Veritas, hold him, hear his voice. But his legs froze. It was as if they weighed too much for him to use them properly.

-Ver…- He said, while waiting for him to get closer. -Hey, Veritas… you're late.- He added, trying to sound as playful as always.

When Veritas reached him, he could see how tired he was. 

-Sorry, I promised you I'd be on time.- 

The young man had barely the energy to speak; he avoided looking Aventurine in the eyes, but held his hands. -I didn't mean to make you wait this long.-

-No, no. It's fine Ver, you're here, that's what matters.- 

Aventurine squeezed Veritas’ hands, stepping closer, trying to catch his gaze. 

-Do you want to sit down on the bench? We don't have to do our usual… thing. We can just chat for a bit if you're tired.-

They remained silent for a moment, and instead of looking at Aventurine, Veritas ran away even more from his gaze; he led him to their usual bench, sat down and patted his thigh, inviting Aventurine to sit on his legs. 
As soon as he sat down facing Veritas, the latter wrapped his arms around the blond’s waist and hid his face in his chest. 
Aventurine hugged him close, gently stroking his hair.

-Let’s just stay like this for a while.- Murmured Veritas, as they found themselves lulled by the night’s sounds. It was as if nature itself wanted to give the two tranquility, offering them a soft breeze and its presence. 

-She took my phone.-

Aventurine just nodded, patiently waiting for him to say more.

-They’re both monitoring me non stop, they even checked three times if I was asleep. They will probably check again soon.-

-Then..!- Hurried Aventurine. -Shouldn’t you just go? Why risk it like this? They might just ground you forever!-

-It’s fine, I have my ways.-

-It's not fine, Ver… I'm sorry, I should have been more careful and-

-Aventurine.- Interrupted him Veritas. -Don’t start blaming yourself. It was an oversight on my part; you were my guest, and I'm the one who should have taken care of everything.-

Aventurine bit his lip, then kissed the top of Veritas' head and closed his eyes; he needed to stay close to him.

-But… I'm not sure of what to do now.-  Confessed the young man. Silence fell again on them, now heavier, carrying a number of worries that threatened to crush them both. -I can't just ignore my parents, because what if they really tell me to pack my belongings and get out? I wouldn't have where to go, I still have to finish my studies, find a job… So I really don't think this is an option.- 

Aventurine couldn't blame Veritas for thinking like that, but his heart felt a pain so indescribable that, even if he wanted, he wouldn't have had the strength to speak.

-At the same time, I don't want to stop seeing you.- Added Veritas, holding him even closer, if possible. -There’s no way I could just… leave you like that. I do enjoy spending time with you and there are many experiences I'd like to share together.- Veritas stopped, but Aventurine caught quickly on the unsaid words.

-But you're not sure if I'm worth the struggle.-

He could feel his friend's body getting tense: he had hit the nail on the head. 
Parts of him were starting to get crushed yet again by the dark feelings that arose from that newfound awareness; other parts, the stronger ones, knew that even if he himself wasn't worth fighting for, Veritas deserved to have someone who was willing to give it their all for him.

-Ver, we could still try, don't you think? I mean… we can still meet each other at night, there's nobody around at this hour, and I can wait for you just like I did tonight.-

-But we won't be able to spend much time together.-

-I don't mind.-

-But I don't even know if I'll be able to come.-

-I know you'll try your best to be here. I trust you.-

-But…-

Aventurine stopped Veritas from saying more, he didn't want to hear anything else from him. He took his face in his hands, forcing him to look him in the eyes.

-Just tell me you'll think about it.-

It was then that Aventurine understood why his “friend” refused to make eye contact; and it was then that they shared their first kiss of the night. It was slow, salty, full of unspoken words. If one was able to decipher them, to hear them despite the silence, they would learn of a promise, one so intimate that divulging it would be considered a sin by the God of Love.