#uhm!!!

In the doorway stands the vessel of one of his great loves. Illuminated from behind, Orfuse cannot see much of him in the face of the shadow cast. He didn’t need to, though, to see that he was tired. Worn thin by the struggle of holding it together, no doubt. Not that he thinks himself faring any better.

He must look so pathetic, he thinks, the way he feels his face light up at the sight of his mate.

Thanat pauses, surely with thoughts consumed with anger for the cruelty of what must be his eyes deceiving him.

“Orfuse-- ”

Caressed by the voice of his lover, like an old friend to his poor tired ears, Orfuse throws himself into his arms despite his better judgment.

“I’m clean! I’m clean from the rain!” He shouts by way of an apology as he squeezes his arms tightly around him.

For his part, Thanat is stunned. Of course he is. Seconds ago he was certain that Orfuse would sooner see himself back into his grave than torture himself in the company of his former torturer again. Now here he is, burying his face into the crook of the mortician's neck as he always did when they embraced, mumbling his apologies.

He hesitates, for a fraction of a second, before fixing his arms around him and squeezing so tightly that anyone could be forgiven for assuming he was trying to absorb the smaller troll.

“It doesn’t quite work that way.” Thanat finally responds with a good amount of humor in his voice, though not nearly enough to stave off the cracks in it.

“The rules are different for me.” He jokes, sniffling through his tears.

“They always have been, dear.”

They stand like that for a moment, Orfuse burying shuddering sobs into his partners neck like prayers against his skin.

After an eternity of holding each other Orfuse pulls back, perhaps too soon, to look up at him.

“I won’t live with you.”

Thanat shakes his head, running a hand first along the small of his back then up his side.

“I did not expect you to.”

“And, uhm, whatever fight you’ve been having with Addy… You two are going to talk about it.”

The mortician watches as his partner makes his demands, as though his death was merely a vacation and the world did not suffer for his absence, with a soft smile that Orfuse cannot see.

“I believe that one is up to Aderae.”

“Well, I already talked to him about it.”

“Ah. Of course. You know that I’ve always admired your foresight, my love.”

Orfuse laughs breathlessly, taking his turn to run a hand down the length of Thanat’s arm. When he reaches his hand he takes it into his and laces their fingers together.

“I still don’t forgive you for giving up your mortality just like that for something so stupid.” He says, not looking up from their intertwined fingers. “It was dumb.”

“I would have died without you otherwise.”