Aster woke to the feeling of warm breath against his neck and a familiar weight curled around his waist.
Adrian's arm was slung lazily over his body, bare chest pressed against Aster's back, long legs tangled with his beneath the covers.
"Mmm. Finally awake," Adrian murmured, voice low and teasing, rough with sleep. "I was considering waking you up the way you like."
Aster groaned and buried his face in the pillow. "I don't like that. My entire body is sore."
Adrian chuckled against his shoulder. "You liked it last night. You were practically begging."
"I was not," Aster hissed.
"You were moaning my name," Adrian drawled, fingers sliding across Aster's bare stomach. "Clawing at the sheets. Wrapping those pretty legs around me like you didn't want me to stop."
"Stop talking," Aster hissed, ears turning crimson. "You're worse than a morning alarm."
"Would you prefer I set off something else?" Adrian whispered, pressing a lazy kiss behind his ear. "We could go for round six—"
"No!"
Adrian laughed, shameless and unbothered. "Still sore?"
"You know I am."
"And yet, you're still here," he murmured, curling around Aster again. "Maybe you like the pain."
Aster groaned. "I hate you."
"No, you don't."
Before Aster could fire back, his phone buzzed on the nightstand, cutting through the tension. He reached over, blinking sleep from his eyes, and saw Jace's name on the screen.
"Hello?" he mumbled.
Jace's voice was crisp and smug. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. You got the callback."
Aster sat up, nearly elbowing Adrian in the ribs. "Wait—what?"
"Final round of auditions. Same role. You're in. Congrats."
The line disconnected before Aster could even say thank you.
He stared at the phone.
Then promptly leapt onto Adrian's chest. "I GOT IT!"
Adrian caught him with a grunt. "What the hell—"
"I GOT THE CALLBACK!"
Aster was practically glowing, hair tousled, eyes wide with joy. The grin on his face could have powered the city.
Adrian blinked, slightly winded—then promptly reacted.
Aster froze as something pressed against his thigh.
He looked down.
"...Are you serious right now?"
"You bounced on me naked," Adrian said dryly. "What did you think would happen?"
Aster groaned and scrambled off him. "You're hopeless."
"I'm alive," Adrian said with a smirk. "And you're incredibly jumpable when excited."
Aster threw a pillow at his head just as a little knock came at the door.
"Brother? My stomach says it wants waffle!"
Aster froze. Adrian just laughed.
"Saved by the child," Adrian said, sitting up and stretching.
"Be there in five, baby!" Aster called out, cheeks still burning. "Stay in the living room!"
"I'm watching Peppa!" Finn shouted back, then pitter-pattered away.
Aster fell back into the bed with a groan. "This is so inappropriate."
"This is domestic," Adrian corrected, leaning over to steal a kiss before getting up. "Now get dressed before your kid walks in on round six."
Aster smacked him on the leg as he walked away, laughing.
They sat at the kitchen table ten minutes later, the smell of waffles and fresh fruit filling the air.
Finn was happily stacking banana slices on his plate while babbling about syrup rivers and waffle mountains. Aster sat beside him, still dazed from the news, wearing Adrian's oversized hoodie and an awkward but genuine smile.
Adrian, now dressed in a black button-up with rolled sleeves, looked every bit the elite CEO—except for the fact that he was currently pouring maple syrup for a toddler.
"I got the callback," Aster said again, almost to himself.
Adrian looked up from his coffee. "I heard."
Then, more softly, "Congratulations."
Aster glanced up, caught off guard by the sincerity. "You're not going to gloat?"
"I could," Adrian said, sipping his coffee. "But I figure you deserve the moment."
A small silence passed between them. Not uncomfortable—just quiet.
Finn licked syrup from his fingers and beamed. "Brother's gonna be on TV!"
Aster chuckled. "Not yet. It's just a second audition." Even if callback is like a Job offer, what if something happened?
Adrian leaned back, gaze steady. "You'll get it."
Aster blinked at him.
He didn't say thank you.
Didn't have the words.
But something in his chest felt a little lighter. A little steadier.
After breakfast, Finn ran off to the playroom—Adrian's house had an entire space filled with puzzles, stuffed toys, and beanbags the size of small planets. Aster stayed behind to help with the dishes, but Adrian waved him off.
"Go pick your script for the callback," Adrian said. "I'll handle this."
Aster hesitated, glancing at the CEO who was currently elbow-deep in dish soap. "You're... weird."
"I've been called worse," Adrian said, flashing a smirk. "But I like hearing it from you."
Aster rolled his eyes and left the kitchen, heart still pounding from the excitement of the day. He didn't know where this road would take him—not yet.
But for the first time in a long time—
He wanted to walk it.
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A/n : Tbh, i don't know how auditioning works. But this is how my friend got in. Though, it was a stage play.