#fumelux

Theycame closer to him, like someone would with a close friend (as if),“Don’t be like that. Aren’t you glad to see me?”

“Youdon’t exactly fit into the category of those I would.” Fumusgrunted, couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“Meanie,”said Elux, in a mock-offended tone, “Anyway, there’s somethingwhich I require about – of utmost importance, Fumus!”

“…Whichis…?”

“There’ssomeplace I would like to take you.” they continued.

“…Where?”he nonchalantly pressed on.

“Ithink you’ll like this one. After all, I only expect andprovide the best.” they boasted with such glee.

Hewasn’t about to ask another question, even if he wanted to.

“Tch,alright… I’ll let you entertain me.” he said after a moment of consideration, to which theother god seemed pleased with.

Hesupposed it wasn’t too much of an annoyance, he could alwaysjust tell them to get lost the next time if their efforts to pursuehim would prove to be futile and just a complete bore in the end.Though he still preferred to try and not stir up too much troublewith them, if even possible.

Theyformed a portal for the two of them, for easy world-jumping – totheir own, he only assumed. As he followed in after them, and just asquickly - from his workplace, he ended up in a foreign location. It wasdark all around, presumably nighttime, the beneath of it felt soft like grass – but as for the eyes, there wasn’t much to see. He knew this wasn’tprimarily what their world looked like, it must’ve been a specifickind of spot.

“Allowme to show you…” Elux began, with the same orb still in hand asthey raised it, hovering above at the tip of their fingers. Itilluminated a light golden glow, creating a pattern of swirls in allshapes and directions, similar to the ones on their own wild mess ofhair. The orb now slowly raised itself way above their heads, as thegleam began to fade away alongside the round object – until itdisappeared into the night sky and was no longer in their sight.

Init’s place, dozens of other similar to it began to appear in thedull, dark blue void – all circular, some bigger, some shiningbrighter than others, but all of them distinct in various color and design.They rotated and moved slowly around eachother in similar motion.

AsFumus watched the birth of dozens of new lifeforms, his only thoughtwas to mumble in response; “…Planet-watching, really?”

“Whatdo you think?” they wondered, awaiting for his reaction.

“…Soundslike a waste of time.” he shuffled around in his pocket, wonderingif he brought a cigarette. Elux could sense his growing irritation,so they aimed to distract him in any way.

“No,no, most only get to look at them from afar, as mere specs of tinystars, all of them looking the exact same in their eyes. This…is a more grandiose feeling, don’t you think?”

Hestopped searching momentarily, thinking of a reply to that statement,“I think that I probably don’t have time to look at other beingsof life. I have my own world already… as do you.”

“So,all the more reason for you to step out of your comfort zone, no?”Elux opted to sit down on the warm grass.

“…What‘comfort zone’ exactly?” he inquired suspiciously,finally finding a cigarette, as he light it, placing it between histeeth.

“Whichone do you think is the most brilliant of them? I know it’stempting to say your own, but…”

Hegrunted and shrugged in response, not even bothering to inspect them,as he decided on sitting down alongside the other god, “I don’tcare, they all look the same to me.” he could sit this one out, aslong as his last smoke would last.

Theother god approached him - there was a mistletoe tied by a stringaround the ahoge of their wild multi-colored hair.

“Can’tcome visit a friend out of generosity? Harsh, harsh.” Theysaid with their typical shit-eating grin, like they were up tosomething he wasn’t aware of.

“…Sincewhen are we ’friends’? Did you hit your head too hard on theway here?” he responded with little to no hesitation.

“Oh,I’m just fantastic, by the way. Thanks for asking.” they replied, steppingcloser so they were standing right in front of the other.

Hewasn’t about to try to stir up any violent trouble with a fellow god,no matter how annoying or aggravating they were. He just hoped hispatience wouldn’t wear too thin by that time they hadn’t yetdecided to leave.

Heshook his head and instead, reached for a pack of cigarettes, only tohave them snatched away by them.

“Givethose back.” Fumus growled.

“Nuh-uh.”They shook their head, hiding them behind their back.

“Youreally wanna test my patience?” he asked, beginning to look ratherannoyed.

“Ah,I’ll give ‘em back, buuuuut… there is something elseI wanna give you.”

Fumusmerely glared at them, though no threatening or violent words thistime were thrown at them. and Elux took the silence as agreement totheir terms.

Eluxplaced their hands on his knees and leaned in close. Fumussighed and gave thema look as if to proceed with whatevertheyweregonna do, eventhough he already could take a guess.Eluxsmiled as they pumped theirforehead into his’,they stared into each other’s eyes for a small moment.

Theleaves of the mistletoe gently brushed against Fumus’ own hair duringthis time.Theygently rubbed noses with him, which made Fumus tense up a bit at theunexpected contact. After the brief moment they pushed away andgrinned.

'Eskimokiss, really…?’ He’llprobably never come to understand his fellow god’s eccentricbehavior.

Theytook and presented the cigarette pack in their palms from hiding away– Fumus almost immediately snatched it away, putting it away from their sight.

“ByeFummy, Happy Holidays!” the storm-god sang, as they made their wayout of the room without a glance back.

Withan irritated sigh, he reached for a cigarette as heopened the small pack, only to find them filled with… pocky?

'Areyou fucking kidding me?’