Chapter 96: Under the Moon and Stars

Souta

I yawned and sighed.

"You okay?" Purpura asked, sitting up from his sleeping bag.

"Do I look okay?" I asked, sighing again.

"Did those weird noises keep you up?"

I grumbled. "Yeah. Seriously, couldn't those two have kept it a little quieter? Their room is supposed to be soundproof!"

Purpura blushed as he realized what those noises were. "Oh. Well, it seems you parents aren't lacking in 'love' after all. You probably will get another sibling soon."

I smiled slightly. "True." I didn't mind more siblings. And them doin' stuff together meant they must've gotten over their issues.

"Come on," Purpura suggested, "let's go outside for a bit. The night air might help you sleep."

He grabbed my old guitar from when I was in middle school. Recently, he had begun to play it. Without even bothering to ask me, but I didn't exactly give him much stuff to do before Dad knew about him living in my room.

I nodded, pulling on my coat. We tiptoed through the hallway, careful not to wake my younger sister who was a light sleeper. Once we were outside, the cool breeze instantly brought relief. The stars above us were twinkling brightly, casting a beautiful glow on the sleepy town below.

We found our usual spot on the hill overlooking the town, sitting down on the grass. Purpura pulled out my guitar from its case, strumming a few chords before launching into a soft melody. I leaned back, closing my eyes as the music washed over me.

Purpura's guitar playing had improved. He had a knack for knowing just what to play to calm me down. We didn't need words between us, the music was enough.

After a while, I felt my eyelids growing heavy. The soft strumming of the guitar, paired with the cool night air, was lulling me to sleep. Just as I was about to drift off, Purpura stopped playing.

"Hey," he said, "you can't fall asleep here. You'll catch a cold."

I groaned, reluctantly getting up. "Fine, let's go home."

My eyes went to the stars again. I couldn't help but feel grateful for Purpura. He was always there for me, even in the middle of the night. And though the weird noises from my parents' room were disturbingly loud, they did lead to this peaceful moment with him. In a weird way, I didn't mind being kept up after all.

Purpura blushed as he realized I was staring. "What?"

I chuckled. "Nothing," I replied, shaking my head. "Just... thanks."

His blush deepened. "I didn't really do anything."

"Just being here is enough," I said honestly. "The guitar playing is a bonus, though."

Purpura looked away, clearly embarrassed. "It's not that good... I'm still learning."

"Still better than me," I admitted with a laugh. "I could never get the hang of it."

He hummed and offered it to me. "Wanna sit down and play it?"

I blinked and chuckled. "Weren't ya worried about me catching a cold a second ago?"

"Yeah, if you fell asleep. I don't wanna waste the energy carrying you back home."

I chuckled as I sat back down. "Ya lazy bones!"

He sat down beside me.

Taking, a deep breath, I began to play. My skills were pretty basic.

Purpura began to move his head to the rhythm of my strummin'.

"Not bad," he muttered.

I puffed my chest. "Well, I am the one who taught ya! But ya've surpassed the master."

Purpura chuckled at my boastful words, shaking his head. "You're unbearable."

"I know," I replied with a grin, my fingers still plucking at the strings. The notes were far from perfect, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. It was the first time I had played in a while, and it felt good.

We sat there for a while longer, letting the music fill the air between us. It was a simple melody, one that I had learned back in middle school. But it felt right, playing it here with Purpura.

Finally, after the last note had faded, I put the guitar down and stretched, feeling my muscles protest. "That's enough for tonight," I declared, rubbing my sore fingers.

Purpura smiled as he took it back and began to play.

The moonlight made his pretty boy face even prettier. His amethyst hair and eyes glistened, creating an ethereal glow that made my heart flutter. I found myself entranced, my gaze locked onto him as his fingers gracefully moved along the guitar strings. The melody he played was soft and sweet, a comforting lullaby that filled the night air.

For a moment, I allowed myself to truly look at him. His long lashes, the soft curve of his lips, the gentle slope of his nose. It wasn't the first time I'd noticed his attractiveness, but the moonlight added a certain allure that was hard to ignore.

"Ya look like an elf," I found myself saying. My rustic accent only made Purpura blink in surprise, his fingers stopping mid-strum.

"Wha... what?" He stammered, his cheeks turning a cute shade of pink.

I chuckled, feeling my own face heat up. "I just mean... ya look nice is all."

His blush deepened, but he gave me a shy smile. "Thanks, Souta."

We sat in comfortable silence for a while, the soft strumming of the guitar the only sound that broke the quiet of the night. I found myself getting lost in the rhythm, my eyes slowly drifting shut.

When I opened them again, Purpura was still there, a soft smile on his face as he continued to play. I reached over, placing a hand over his. The music stopped, but the silence that followed felt just as beautiful.

"Thanks for being here, Purpura," I said, looking into his amethyst eyes.

He gave me a warm smile. "Anytime, Souta." Leaning in, he kissed me on the lips. Unlike before, I didn't push him away. I no longer had conflictin' feelings after Sehun betrayed me with Ava.

The kiss was soft, tender, warmer than any I could remember. I closed my eyes, letting myself get lost in the feeling. Purpura's lips were gentle against mine, his hand reaching up to cup my cheek. His thumb stroked my skin, sending a shiver down my spine.

When we finally pulled away, I was left breathless. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could see a similar reaction reflected in Purpura's wide eyes. He was blushing, a soft pink tinting his cheeks, but he was smiling.

"That... that was nice," he admitted, his voice barely more than a whisper.

I chuckled, pulling him closer. "Ya think so, huh?"

He nodded, his eyes shining in the moonlight. "Yeah, I do."

I pulled him in for another kiss, this one deeper, more passionate. I could feel the warmth radiating from him, his body pressed against mine. It felt right, more right than anything I'd ever experienced before.

As we lay there under the stars, our breaths mingling in the cool night air, I knew I had made the right choice. I had chosen to let go of my past, to move on from the pain Sehun and Ava had caused me. And in doing so, I had found something beautiful, something real.

Purpura really was my soulmate. Literally. Our past lives, were lovers. And while in this lifetime we were both boys, it didn't change the fact that we were drawn to each other, souls connected by an invisible thread. Maybe, him being a boy in this lifetime was why I was gay.

I found myself pulling him even closer, the warmth of his body seeping into mine. His arms wrapped around me, holding me tight as if he was afraid I would disappear. 

"I'm glad I found ya," I whispered into his ear, my voice barely audible over the soft rustling of the grass beneath us. 

He pulled back slightly, just enough to look into my yellow eyes. His own were filled with warmth, with love, and I felt my heart flutter at the sight. "I'm glad you found me too, Souta."

We stayed like that for what felt like hours, just enjoying each other's presence under the starlit sky. It was a peaceful moment, one that I wished could last forever. 

Eventually, though, the chill of the night started to seep in, making us shiver. With a sigh, I finally released Purpura, getting up and offering him a hand. 

"Come on, let's go back. It's getting cold."

He nodded, taking my hand and letting me pull him up. We walked back to the house hand in hand, the guitar case swinging between us. 

Back in my room, we settled into our respective sleeping areas. I couldn't help but steal glances at Purpura, the image of him under the moonlight still fresh in my mind. 

As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but feel grateful that my parents had an extremely loud night together.