Oliver sat next to me searching through a bag of marbles. I refrained from sighing, as I knew just how much he hated that. Everything felt right, yet I could still tell just what was missing. Though, with him being only thirteen, I knew he was too young for that type of conversation, much less commitment.

He smiled, finally sorting them all properly. I couldn't help but when to smile when I saw him, the way he was so care-free, but not quite careless or reckless. It was an innocence that was hard to retain.

Still, seeing his golden eye filled with a genuine happiness, one that may not have been achievable by anyone else on the planet… It made my heart flutter inside of my chest.

I sighed happily, accepting that there would be a consequence. I didn't mind, maybe I could tell him that I wasn't sighing from sadness? I wouldn't be lying, that's for sure.

Oliver frowned at me. "Don't sigh, it sounds so sad." He poked my arm, narrowly missing my side. He hugged me, obviously an attempt to cheer me up.

"It wasn't a sad sigh, I'm happy right now, actually." I said, accepting his hug gratefully. I knew that he couldn't tell, but I loved him with my entire heart, and nothing was going to change that.

"I like hugs," I said quietly, not really meaning to speak aloud. I realized I did, though, and blushed slightly.

"I like hugs, too. They're warm and comforting," he said, crawling onto my lap.

I blushed even more, not used to having Oliver so close to me. "Yeah, they're nice, aren't they?"

He nodded, "Very nice."

I hugged him a little tighter. "You know what else is really nice?" I asked, absentmindedly.

Oliver shook his head, smiling a bit and repositioning the way he was sitting. I blushed a bit more, nervous about how he was sitting. If he touched my stomach… Well, that would be a bit of an issue.

"Kissing the person that you love…" I said, my voice trailing off a bit. I knew that I would never get to kiss the person I love, that nothing would ever change that, that he was just not going to like me.

Oliver smiled, "The person you love? Like the person you're in love with?" He asked, hugging me a bit tighter.

I nodded. "The person you're in love with."

Smiling a bit more, Oliver hugged me closer. "Who do you love? Who are you in love with, James?"

I shook my head, not really wanting to say. It was embarrassing to admit that I was in love with my best friend, much less my best friend who happens to be three years younger than me.

"Y-you…" I whispered, barely audible even in our quiet living room.

Oliver blushed and hugged me closer. I couldn't think straight, this was the very first time that he had ever been so close to me. I blushed, though I didn't know it at the time.

He closed his eye, took a slow breath, and kissed me for the first time.

I thought my heart was going to beat straight out of my chest. Startled at first, I almost pulled away. I realized what was happening, and slowly kissed him back. My heart felt light and fluffy, like it was floating inside of my chest. I couldn't help but smile a bit.

Oliver reluctantly pulled away, blushing. I looked to the side, careful not to look him in the eye.

"S-sorry. I didn't mean to… I didn't mean for that…" I couldn't form the words right, my brain was still scrambled from where he had kissed me. "I mean that you didn't have to kiss me…" I blushed, still not looking at him.

"Yes I did," he said, a small laugh in his voice.

I shook my head. "No, I just pressured you into that, it was wrong." I looked back into his eye.

"You said yourself, it's nice to kiss the person you love. And when he loves you back… Well, the more the reason, right?"

I tried to process his words. "You… Love me, too?" I asked carefully, not wanting to misunderstand.

Oliver nodded and kissed me again, this time longer and more confident. When we finally pulled away he said, "If I didn't, would I willingly kiss you twice?"

I blushed and new that from that point on, things were going to be just a little bit better.