Page 97 of Should Our Stars Collide

“He’s right. You do come around,” Ash steps in, figuring a little more reassurance is in order. “Don’t force yourself. It’s already a miracle that you’re sitting here and not bracing yourself for a fight.”

“Just barely,” Kieran mumbles, but Ash’s words seem to have relaxed him.

Ash suppresses a smile. It’s very hard not to get smug about his Kieran-relaxing effect. It’s his second superpower, if you ask him.

“Thank you for taking care of Tequila,” he says to Cal and Dawson. “And congratulations again on the exhibition. The photos looked great.”

“What exhibition?” Kieran asks, eyes snapping to Dawson. “Yourexhibition?”

Getting bashful all of a sudden, Dawson drops his gaze, scratching the back of his neck. “Yeah, my very first one. Ellis helped organize it.”

“That’s fucking awesome!” Kieran’s smile is brighter than the sun. At least for the few seconds before it turns into a frown. “Wait, does that mean we weren’t there?Iwasn’t there?”

Dawson shrugs, unbothered. “It was your anniversary, and the dates overlapped. It’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?! Dee, this is huge!” He jumps to his feet, gesturing wildly. “Why was I on a stupid vacation instead of supporting you?”

“It’s not stupid, it’s your anniversary. It’s important.” Just as Kieran prepares himself to argue, Dawson adds, “And it’s not a big deal because you support me every day. That’s what matters.”

The fight drains out of Kieran like water through a cracked glass. He’s such a sucker for his friend, Ash is almost jealous.

“But still…” Though not arguing, he still looks bummed out.

Dawson stands up. “Hey, want me to give you a tour? I’ll show you my studio. It’s gigantic!”

That seems to do the trick. Kieran nods, following Dawson silently. Donut jumps off Cal and trails behind them, tail wagging.

“What about you?” Cal asks once Dawson and Kieran are out of earshot. “How are you handling things?”

“I’m…actually okay.” The answer surprises even Ash. He doesn’t feel like he’s walking on eggshells, or handling a ticking timebomb anymore.

Cal looks a little doubtful. And worried. “Are you really?”

“Yeah. Sure, I was freaking out at first. Kieran from two years ago doesn’t…” He swallows, the next part hard to admit. “He isn’t in love with me. He doesn’t know what we’ve been through together and is still constantly on guard. I was afraid I’d mess up, and he’ll go back to his time and decide that this—us—is not going to happen.” Kieran isn’t the only one afraid of fucking up the timelines.

“And now?”

Ash feels an involuntary smile stretch his lips. “I think we are okay now, just need to take it slow. Honestly, I have no problem with that.” In fact, he might be enjoying starting over a little too much. While a part of him misses the domesticity they’ve established, watching Kieran peel the layers off his armor in response to Ash’s words or actions gives him the sort of high no drug ever could.

“I’m glad to hear that.” Cal gives him a small, reserved smile. “But you might be wrong.”

“About?” Ash strokes Tequila’s back. She curls into an even tighter ball, purring happily.

“Him not loving you.”

Ash’s head snaps up. “I can see his thoughts, Cal. I know he’s started to wonder. Sometimes he imagines things that freak him out. He’s warming up to me, but he isn’t in love with me.”

Cal has a bleeding heart, but Ash would appreciate it if he didn’t sugarcoat things for him. He doesn’t want to get his hopes up.

“In love, no,” Cal agrees. “But he does love you. You can see inside his head,” he goes on just as Ash opens his mouth. “But I can see his soul. It shines so bright when he’s next to you, when you speak to him, touch him.”

Ash just stares, speechless. Cal must’ve got it wrong. Kieran’s…soul oraura or whatever got brighter because they’re at Dawson’s house. Kieran’s missed Dawson, the one constant thing in his life. It makes perfect sense.

But Cal says Kieran lights up when Ash talks to him or touches him. If that’s true, that would mean…

Ash flings himself against the back of the sofa, covering his face with his palms. “Fuck.”

The movement disrupts Tequila, and she hops off with an annoyed meow. Ash would try to win her over again, but he has more pressing matters at hand. Like the fact that the man he loves might finally be falling for him too.