Bob
Finley stood under the velvet navy blue stretching from horizon to horizon, breathing in the cool, night air. Crisp wind blew over their red sweatshirt and jeans, pushing their hair from their face and turning the tips of their ears and nose to ice. 


Their school-bag sat on their shoulders, almost entirely empty. Back in their room, a haphazard tower of textbooks topped their desk, and an odd collection of papers sat abandoned and strewn about. In their place was a Tupperware container (or a couple really) of sandwiches. Ares was notoriously *Not* Picky, but Fin still tried to make a few different types. A couple glass bottles of soda clicked and clacked gently together as they walked. 


Fin liked this particular park, looking at the trees as they came into view. They'd found it one day while exploring. They still weren't great at reading Swedish, but a playground sat off in one corner, muted primary colors of twisting tube slides and abandoned rubber balls, and a wooden pavilion standing guard. Just to the right of it was a large, large field, hidden just behind the playground, patches of late summer wildlife springing up in the cool grass.


They paused, reaching around to unzip their bag. They'd brought a few more things - a small yellow blanket, and a bag of seeds for some birds (or squirrels, as Owen had suggested.) They pulled them out, setting both on a low wooden bench.

*Have fun on your not-date!* Had been Owen's teasing words before Fin had snuck out of campus. Not-date. As much as they'd never, ever admit it, not to anyone, and especially not Ares, they liked the title. It made them smile at their hands, dragging their Converse across the grass as they looked over their old text conversation from earlier.

*I like doing dumb shit with you :)*

*Ayyyyee me too :)*

They let themself look at it for another moment, before they close it out, and rest their chin on their knee. There was no reason to fawn. Not right now. That could be saved for a long chat with Owen, late at night, over cups of tea and water. Finley had taken careful measure the past few months, after all - and they were not willing to blow it any time soon.

They sat back, and waited.
Rosemary
The soft click of Ares' phone echoed through his empty dorm room. The silence of midnight seeped through the concrete walls that surrounded him. Inviting Finley out was a good idea, Ares was beginning to despise the cold grey that followed him at every turn.

A grumble echoed in Ares' chest as he got out of bed and stretched his arms up. An empty bag slouched by his door, which he then promptly filled up with various snacks. Not completely knowing what Finley liked aside from sweet things, he just grabbed a large selection. Once it was full to his liking, he threw it back beside the door and continued to get ready. Ares pulled a black hoodie over his muscular torso, nearly fell over putting on his shoes, swung the bag over his shoulder and finally remembered to bring a jacket before clicking his door shut behind him. 

The chill of the hallway made him shiver, and outside wasn't any better. Although, It didn't take long for him to get used to the cold. The night surrounded him in a welcoming presence, Ares loved when the sun left. The dark grey clouds reached their greedy hands over the stars, shielding them from his curious auburn eyes. This made Ares scowl slightly, disappointing. A meetup under the moon would've been nice. 

The park Finley had described came into view rather quickly, everything was shielded by a thin veil of nighttime darkness. Eerily exciting. Ares was used to doing things at night, so it didn't take long for him to pinpoint a blonde figure sitting against a bench. Something about seeing their light hair against the dark greys and greens of the park, knowing they were waiting for him made him feel something he couldn't pinpoint. *Strange.*

Ares made sure to be quiet walking up behind Finley, before deciding on a course of action.
_ _

**"Boo!"** Ares shouted into the empty night. His loud voice and laughter echoed across the pond and into the horizon. After scaring the other, Ares leaned over the bench and looked Finley in the face. Upside down. A goofy smile was plastered on his tan features, the same features that were mere inches away from the other's. His torso pressed into their back as he bent over to meet their eyes. 

"You look creepy sitting in the dark, you know." 

Ares let out a snicker and straightened back upwards. Their close proximity only lasting a few seconds, before it was regained when Ares sat directly next to Finley. He shoved them lightly in a playful manner, and dropped his bag at his feet. Their shoulders were pressed against each other. Ares didn't seem to mind the contact, he wasn't even thinking about it.

"We successfully snuck out!" The bastard, yet genuine, smile was still present. "What now?" 
_ _
Bob
"Ares!"

If they had a dollar for every time they said his name in that tone, they could have afforded bail. Exasperation, mostly. 

 They'd nearly thrown the blanket in their lap. A person appearing and shouting behind in an otherwise dead silent park was enough to frighten anyone.
But, they knew it was him. His laughter peeled through even in his attempt to frighten them. He stood out among every person Finley had ever met.

"You scared me," They began, their words stopping quick. Ares's features were sharper under the shadows, hardly an inch from their face. He looked handsome, quite, if a bit strange from his upside down position.



The open sky looked down at them, the pond looked up, something off in the bushes chattering away as Ares sat down. They shoved him back, but the warmth he brought against the chill was more than appreciated on the back of one arm.

"We did," They finally agreed. They took a moment to look up at the sky, to take it all in. They'd snuck out! Not for the first or last time - but, they still were proud of it. They were here. And what a life they lived.

"Here - I brought a blanket. In case you needed to keep the dew off your bag. It's not the best for warmth, though."

A few thoughts pilfered through their mind. How was it still cool outside? It was *August*, for Christ's sake.

Ares had a nice smile. 

*Anyway.*

"I brought you some," They said, offering out a little Tupperware with a ham sandwich inside. "Promise it hasn't been my bag too long. And, ah. There's soda in my bag, if you want it. I kinda just... Grabbed whatever."



"How's your night? Apart from scaring the shit out of me."
Rosemary
"*Duh,* Thats the *Point*." Ares snickered at Finley pointing out the very obvious fact that he scared them. Of course he did, that was his plan and he executed it flawlessly. 

As Ares looked over at the other, he noticed something. Finley was blushing. 

Oh? *Oh.* 

It was hard to see under the dark of the night, but there was no denying it. Ares wanted nothing more than to point it out, tease the ever-loving hell out of them for it but something in his mind told him to shut it. Ares refrained from bringing it up, but he kept a note of that somewhere deep in his mind. It must've been embarrassment from being scared. *What a pussy,* He thought before moving on. 

"Why thank you blondie." Ares jokingly sneered as he grabbed a sandwich out of the container and popped it in his mouth. Despite finishing it in only a couple bites, the lack of mess was remarkable. It was good. Ares would have to eat more later. 

"Oh yeah! I brought stuff too."

After dusting off his hands, Ares reached down and brought his bag up into his lap. With a single swift movement, the zippers ripped open to reveal an overflowing bag of any and every type of snack Sweden could offer.

"My stolen *Stash.*" His tone was proud, far too proud. All of the items in his bag were indeed stolen but how he managed to steal so much was both unexplainable and extremely impressive. Clearly Ares had practice, *Lots* Of practice. "Help me eat these later." He laughed, and returned his bag to his feet.

The tan boy paused for a second when Finley asked how his night was so far. *Hm.*

"Oh, it's been pretty boring up until now to be honest. I was just kind of doin' nothing in my dorm." This fact was true, Ares was indeed just laying around but he didn't seem too bothered by that fact. 

"How about yours? Aside from getting scared by yours truly."

He leaned towards them when he said that. A teasing smile on his features.
Bob
He, undoubtedly, had stopped to stare, Finley thought. Ares had studied their face, even if it was just a single, tiny moment.

 *Mortifying, to be known.*

They bit their cheek to keep from reacting, instead choosing to turn and laughing at the *Stash*.

"This is somewhat impressive." They nudged the bag with their foot. "Somewhat." 

A tease sat in their voice - they had to get back at Ares somehow, for what they'd consider "Gay panic" Taking over their bones a moment there. 

"I've been alright though, *C'est la vie,* As the English like to... Somewhat misquote." 

Finley gave Ares another light shove, snickering. (If they didnt, they'd start blushing again).

"You're horrible today. I'm wounded."

Finley rubbed their hands together, taking a second to blow on them. Damn anemia. They didn't actually know if they had it, but it'd make sense. However, the symptoms (being cold, pale, etc) could often simply being associated with being European. Who knew.
Rosemary
"Oh cmon, it's far more than *Somewhat* Impressive." He laughed.

"Im glad you're alright." 

His tone was almost softer, *Almost*. Ares did take a subconscious comfort in the fact Finley was okay, which he wouldn't be questioning anytime soon. It was deep under his everyday thoughts, so it could stay there. 

"Horrible? Me? *Never.* I'm the one who is wounded, my god." 

Ares dramatically brought his hand to his forehead and leaned against Finley in an overdrawn display of fainting, before pulling himself upwards with a loud laugh. It was a natural laugh, not the same mocking cackle that he used to torment those around him. Something about this was comfortable, and easy. 

For a moment, Ares titled his head up to gaze at the sky. The clouds were opening their hands, small stars poked around the deep grey. The wind floated across the water and pressed into his face. It wasn't cold anymore, he had adjusted well and was actually quite warm under his bulky jacket. Finley on the other hand was shivering through their jacket, and was making a rather pitiful attempt to warm up their hands. 

"Jesus." Ares said through a laugh. "Cmon, stand up."

The taller boy stood up, and positioned himself in front of them. He left enough room for them to stand up as well. Ares tapped his palm against the back of Finley's hand, giving them an extra sign to get up. Something was almost mischievous about the look on his face, but somewhere underneath that smirk was a hint of uncertainty.
Bob
If you cracked Fin's brain open, and poked around in it, they might have a similar sentiment. It was part of what they liked about Ares - despite how angry he seemed, how brash he was, they were never ill at ease with him. They were safe. Nothing could hurt them, out here in the dark, no monsters, no specters. They had half a mind to curl up against him and go to sleep, knowing they could. 

Not many people despised Ares, but, it had, to Fin, become increasingly apparent that some *Did*, and their reasons for doing so, also apparent. He was arrogant, yes. Angry. Quick to react, and quicker to fight. But Fin heard the way he talked about his past. They saw the tiny moments in his eyes where *Something* Hurt, but he wouldn't acknowledge it. There was so much more to Ares than Finley thought anyone gave him credit for. They didn't know everything about him, and didn't suppose they ever would - after all, they were best friends, but nothing else - but they wanted to.

They did.

Finley studied Ares from this angle. The full moon threw a translucent, silvery blanket over them both, capturing a thousand stills of closeness. You could make a film, Finley thought, out of this one evening, this one stint in time. Stardust rested on their shoulders and curled into the softness of Ares's hair. Despite how cold they were, Finley closed their eyes, for just a moment.

But, ah, the cold. Ares seemed to notice how much they were shaking, and stood up. Finley's eyes opened to see him standing there, a mixed expression flickering around his face. Damn being the shorter one. Jeez.
"I'm up," They said, standing. They rubbed their arms as another breeze flew through, tousling their hair around.
Rosemary
The closeness of them made something in Ares want to step back, but he didn't. Having Finley directly in front of him, looking down at them to meet their eyes made him pause. The moon peaked out from the clouds and found home in their light eyes, the stars danced against the blue in shimmering sparks with movements so soft that if you blinked you'd miss it. Something about Finley had that effect. Their eyes held the universe and more, each galaxy and star. It was something Ares had never taken the time to notice. It was fascinating.

Without a word, Ares slid his arms out of his sleeves and grabbed the collar of the coat. With a solid swinging motion, Ares moved his arms over Finley's head and placed the jacket on their shoulders. The way he had chosen to place the coat made his arms rest on the sides of their neck, like a halfway hug. Ares once again didn't seem to mind the proximity the two had found themselves in. With a few adjustments and a solid tug, Ares was satisfied with the positioning. 

"There, now you wont be cold." He smiled.

It was a smile that not many had the pleasure of seeing. A soft smile that didn't tug on his features with a bastard grin, or expose the sharpness of his teeth. It wasn't frightening or a tactic of intimidation. It was simply a smile. It didn't last long before he was back to his normal state, but it was there. Even for a moment.

Ares stood in front of Finley for longer than the would like to admit. He took a step back, removed his lingering hands from the collar of the coat and quickly turned to look at the moon. Almost comically avoiding what he had just done.

"Ah the clouds went away! Should we find somewhere else to sit, blondie?" Ares snapped his finger and turned back to look at the other. "Maybe we could have a picnic on a roof of one of the industrial buildings. The view up there is insane."
_ _

Word vomit. Ares was talking far too much. Perhaps he felt the need to compensate for the past silence, or distract from his actions.
_ _
Bob
*Oh.*

Ares's arms on Finleys shoulders were so light they barely realized what he was doing. The jacket was huge - it practically swallowed Finleys boney frame. But it was warm, wrapping them up and blocking out the wind. And it smelled like him - something comforting, and grounded, like dark, rich earth, or strong, towering trees. Finley relaxed into it, a little sigh curling out of their nose. 

They looked back up, and found Ares staring at them. Fin wondered how many other people saw him smile like this. They considered themself lucky, privately, just for a moment.

But the moment passed, and slipped into the hourglass of time, and Ares turned away, and moved his arms away. Despite the warmth, a strange pang sat in Finleys stomach. They pushed it aside.

"Right," They said. Their voice was softer than they wanted to admit. The entire moment was softer than they thought they could admit. Everything was, with Ares. "If you want - I don't mind. Just... Let's avoid anything around where, uh, the Angels are." 

Anxiety prickled the back of their neck. They looked around the park, as if they were half expecting a sniper to appear from the trees.
Rosemary
When Ares turned back to look at Finley, he noticed the shake in their voice. The slight anxious jitter that fell under their normally even tone. He pursed his lips at this. 

"Trust me, there isn't any angels over there. I haven't seen any." The taller boy tapped his foot. "Although we could figure out someplace else if you'd like?"

The moon hung solitary and heavy in the sky. The clouds had almost completely disappeared with the wind, leaving a crisp cold night above the two. The breeze that came with the missing sun wrapped itself against Ares' now exposed arms. It was refreshing, not like anything he was used to but it reminded him of the breezes that would find their home in the shades of trees back in Puerto Rico. Although Ares always loved the sun, he couldn't deny the comfort of a cold night. 

Ares took a few steps back towards Finley, his hands now resting in his pockets. "Again though..." There was an obvious persuasion in his tone. "The views are *Reaaaaalllyyyy* Nice." He drew out that word for effect.

He looked at Finley, waiting to see if his *"Charm"* Had worked or not.

Surprisingly, Ares was taken aback by how nice they looked in his jacket. The sense of both familiarity and confusion he felt at seeing his jacket on someone else confused him, let alone on Fin. It suited them nicely, the deep grey stood out against their usual brighter tones. It wasn't completely out of place, but it definitely looked like Ares' coat. His mind dismissed the thought. Of course Finley looked good in it, Ares looked good in it... It was simply a nice looking coat.

Yeah, that had to be it.
Bob
Finley comforted themself into the jacket, cozying into the warm fabric that just-so-happened to smell like Ares. They furrowed their hands into the pockets, poking around at the fluff inside. Ares had a natural knack for reassurance, they'd realized - they followed him willingly towards a potential pit of Angels, all because he'd squeezed their shoulder and told them it was okay to do so.

It said a lot, Finley supposed, about how far they (and most likely Owen, Valio, and their other friends) would follow him. 

They looked up to see Ares close up again. A real smile, a soft one, spread across their face. They laughed. 

"Okay, okay," They said, and their voice was softer than they meant it to be, for just a moment. "You've charmed me. Let's go."

To the industrial areas, to where the Tower could be looming over their heads - and Finley was willingly going. They couldn't believe the things they would do for Ares. Had done.

*You're smitten,* Owen's voice said in the back of their head.

*Shut up.*
Rosemary
Simple as that, Ares had gotten his way once again. It came with being a *"Natural born leader,"* As his mother had called it. The boy had an inclination for persuasion, but whether he was actually good at it or Finley was just easy to convince was up for discussion.

The grey concrete towers loomed over the two of them as they walked through the streets of the Industrial district. The place almost didn't look real, with its depressing grey hues and modern architecture. Life drained out of the windows and dripped down the walls with a poison that seeped under Ares' skin as he confidently carried himself up and over places he shouldn't be. 

"Cmon then, hurry up blondie or I'll leave ya behind." Ares was joking, and let the other know by making his booming laughter fall down the concrete walls like loose sparks on a grindstone. The taller one was ahead, but not by much. It was clear he had much more experience in climbing up buildings and scaling walls. He used his muscular arms to hoist himself up and over barrier after barrier, giving himself a comfortable lead. 

The cold continued to reach towards Ares, the t-shirt pulled over his torso was doing very little to keep out the cold, but he couldn't care less. It was refreshing, especially with the fair work out that was attempting to climb up the buildings.

...
_ _

It didn't take long for Ares and Finley to reach the top. Ares almost immediately ran directly to the edge, balancing precariously on the railing that separated the rooftop and streets far below. The night cloaked over the sleeping city with both a welcoming and haunting darkness. Warm orange lights from buildings in the distance lit up against the deep blue hues of the horizon, telltale signs of people awake at hours they shouldn't be. The adrenaline that pumped through the boy's chest and pulsed through his veins was worth it every time.

He jumped down with a snicker, and flew his arms out to the side in a dramatic, almost showman display. 

"See? Isn't it great?" Ares was smiling, it was a similar troublesome smile he normally wore but a hint of genuine fun was visible under his crooked grin.
Bob
"You wouldn't," Finley had replied to his taunts, a laugh of their own bubbling out of their throat. They blew blond strands of hair from their eyes, crossing their arms as they looked around the concrete. The jungle loomed high above their heads, a canopy of airplanes and street lamps shining down.

Despite the gloom of the city, they were both alive.

Finley wasn't quite strong enough to climb over with ease, not like Ares was - and, more than once, they quietly asked for help, reaching out a hand, a drawn in face with unease. Their legs shook every time they dared to look down at the ground below. Their heart hammered in their throat.

*Don't look down,* They chided themself. 

*You could fall.*

*You could fall, and break every bone in your body. What the fuck are you doing up here?*

The voice sounded suspiciously like someone they'd rather not see. But there was nowhere else to go but up. And Ares would help them if they fell, wouldn't he?

*Of course. Do you think he'd let you fall?*

So Finley climbed.

...

"Please be careful," Finley said. They waited back from the edge, peering just over the side. A heavy, numbing feeling climbed up in their throat, the blood pumping from the arduous climb and the fear of being up so high. Their legs were shaking. They held back the urge to sit down.

From up here, the District almost looked alive. The orange spread over the grey, the stars twinkled against the deep dark. It almost looked beautiful. They ran a hand through their hair, and let out a long, long breath.

"It's... It's something," Finley said, looking up at him. Ares throwing his arms out garnered all of Fin's attention, again. They smiled. "It really is."
Rosemary
Ares got down and moved past Finley, he couldn't help but notice the anxious energy that buzzed out of them like cracking static. Electric in more ways than one it seemed, they were charged up with a certain paranoia. Ares wondered if they were always like this. 

"Cmon cmon, lets eat something! Not a picnic without food, aye?" 

He walked over to a clear part of the roof, and threw his bag onto the ground. The sound of various items inside shuffled against the quiet atmosphere of the night. Inside the silence were the soft sounds of the wind brushing against the building, and the faint chatter of people and cars in the streets below. However, being so high up, the stars created a nice void around the two. It was quiet up here, calm and still. 

Ares disturbed the quiet, similarly to launching a giant cinderblock into a lake. The splash is huge, and the ripples echo through every bit of the water. Ares makes an impact on things without a single ounce remorse, in fact he *Enjoys* It. 

"Blanket." Ares lifted his hand and made a grabbing motion towards Finley. "Unless ya wanna sit on the *Cold* Ground." He snickered in a lighthearted manner. He didn't mean to be demanding, simply comfortable enough to not worry about formalities.

The wind ruffled up Ares' hair, and the deep night made everything up there dark. The taller boy looked over at the other, and couldn't help but stare. Ares had never really cared for the presence of others, but something about Finley being here made the whole endeavour seem less empty.

Maybe that was better.
Bob
If Ares had asked aloud, Finley may have replied: yes. They were like this most days. Most days, the anxiety prickled at the back of their mind like a dull hum of static, flicking out their fingertips to pick at their cuticles and bite at the skin on their lip. Despite their fear of heights, however, the static was beginning to recede - the hair on their head, floating around like some sort of garbled halo, began to lower.

Ares tended to have that affect on them.

Finley snickered, and sat down on the blanket beside him. In favour of not staring at him incredulously, they turned their gaze down, and picked at the curls of the fabric in between their fingers. They realized they were being stared at. They bit back a smile. In some ways, it was nice to know Ares did the same thing they did - even on a one-off occasion. 

*You're smitten, and dreadfully so, frater,* Nadia had written back, once, only some few days ago. They'd started exchanging letters again. They'd told her quickly about Ares. They couldn't help it. It seemed that it bubbled out of their throat as soon as they could talk to their sister again. When Fin had gotten her letter back, they'd teared up.

Perhaps she was right. Finley, slowly, had come to be okay with that.

"I like this," They said, their voice a bit soft. The smile broke through, gently spreading over their features. "Being with you."

Perhaps it was too soft. Perhaps they'd said too much. But it was all Finley wanted to say - it summarized almost everything, really. For what was a connection, a crush, even, if not a prolonged, and treasured enjoyment of another person's company?
Rosemary
Finley sat beside Ares, their presence was one that filled the empty and vast void of the heavy stars above. The boy was so used to spending nights like these completely by himself, staring at the cosmos in a deafening silence. He never had company for his late night adventures, not since he was younger. 

Safya and Caleb had figured themselves out, even back home they had little time for him. It was always their books, papers, endless quizzes and tests that took priority. Ares would be lying if he said he wasn't happy for their success, but a part of him deep down ached and clawed at the thought of having someone beside him once more. It was always better. Adventures felt like *Adventures* Again with Finley. The days of Ares spending his time fleeing and desperately searching for some kind of escape were slowly reaching an end, but it wasn't over. 

The way Finley spoke made the hairs on the back of Ares' neck stand on end. They were sharp, like daggers and made his stomach sink. His teeth clenched as he listened to their soft tone carry over the wind like the hum of a melody, graceful and calming. 

Ares wanted to get up, right then and there. Run far far away and avoid the connection that was piecing itself together right in front of his eyes. *Connection meant weakness, did it not?* Was this all worth the trouble? Was the embarrassment and vulnerability of forming a friendship worth the fact Ares wouldn't have to spend his time in sickening solitude? 

Maybe it was. Ares didn't want to know. 

The boy didn't move. He sat there, beside Finley. Not a single part of his waking mind nor his subconscious regretted this choice. 

"I'm .." His voice caught in his throat. A part of him was unsure, yet this didn't show. He kept it buried far beneath the charming bastard smirk he usually wore. 

"I'm glad."
_ _

The words finally fell out of his mouth, in a quiet tone that crunched like gravel and rumbled with the deep echo of thunder. 

The night held above them in a watchful gaze, peering down through super novas and constellations thousands of years old. It watched, with baited breath, curious and wise. Ares felt both the pressure of the universe above him and nothing at all. 

He felt at ease, and the farthest from it. All at the same time. 

Finley was confusing. Everything about this situation itched against Ares' mind. All of it was frustrating and stressful, while also simultaneously being the *Best months of his life.* How contradictory. 

"I like this too." 

The deep auburn, that blazed like scorched matchsticks and ash met the calming pool of electrifying blue. It never failed to draw him in. A tantalizing offer to sink himself into the water, and never return.
Bob
The silence stretched over them like a sheet of candy glass, so fragile and yet sturdy. Nightlife flickered and hummed below, two crows sitting just on the ledge of a nearby building, cawing in some half baked symphony. 

Finley finally looked up from the blanket. They studied the side of Ares's expression. He seemed uncomfortable under the mask. Finley shifted. Anxiety pressed against their ribcage.

"Do you want to leave?" 

The question was as gentle as all the rest. They spoke around the lump crowding their throat. 

"We don't have to stay if you don't want to. I'll carry the bag. I don't mind." 

It was microscopic, the changes in his expression. Ares had, Finley assumed, mastered the art of Being Okay. But there were cracks. The way his face flickered. A quirk of the eyebrow, a little sigh of the shoulders.

Finley was grateful they could recognize him, just a bit. A year together had done that. Ares was something that the last year was not - constant. Consistent. No matter what had happened, Fin could count on Ares being there.
Rosemary
"No, no, its okay. We aren't done here are we? We've only been up here for a while." 

Ares fell onto his back, and tucked his arms behind his head. Gazing up at the sky, feeling the blanket beneath him warm the cold concrete roof.

"Oi, cmon, lay down. The sky is nice." A very Ares thing to do, his words were an attempt to lighten the mood.

Above the two stretched an endless vastness. It was littered with midnight stars and a few planets, alongside the solitary moon which hung heavy in the sky. Ares had no clue what shapes lay in the cosmos, or which dot connected to a planet, but he knew there was a certain comfort in the night. He loved being out so late, the quiet hum that filled the world when others slept was something Ares revelled in. 

Having Finley with him made it all the much better. 

They, didn't look relaxed. An idea sparked in Ares' head. 

With a snicker, the taller boy sat up, wrapped his arms around their shoulders and dragged them down onto the blanket with him. Letting go when the two were on their backs, and laughing when they made a quiet squeaking sound.

Ares raised his hands up and put his palms to the sky. 

"Isn't it nice so high up? The sky is *So close.* Freaky aye?" He was smiling.
Bob
"It's beautiful," Finley admitted (after, of course, being hauled backwards). 

They laughed, blowing a few strands out of their eyes. A conversation with Amelie rose up in their mind. She'd pointed out, once, how Fin practically fawned over Ares. She said their crush was obvious to anyone with eyes.

As Fin looked over to Ares, they thanked whatever was up there that he was, metaphorically, blind.

His presence laid over Finleys anxiety like a weighted blanket, soothing it down like a comforting pet at the end of a particularly stressful day.

As a cool breeze skimmed over the rooftop, Fin buried themself into Ares's coat, clenching their jaw from keeping their teeth from shivering. If he wanted to stay up here, Fin would oblige. They watched him reach for the sky, the smile on his face. 

They felt lucky, in a way. 

"I... I'm actually afraid of heights," They admitted, finally. "But ah... This is nice. It's- It's pretty. I like seeing so many stars. A lot different than home."