Chapter Text
Jinki’s finely ringed fingers tapped against the glass of the large table he was sitting beside. The surface was bright, lined with shining gold, and showed him what was happening in the rest of the solar system. He lifted his middle finger and the image of Earth lifted from the surface, zooming in so only it could be seen. Over the many millenniums, he had witnessed how the land below changed, from the masses of land pulling away from each other, the extinction of animals and the creation of people through the helpful hand of evolution. Civilizations had risen and fallen, war and pillaging thanks to chaos, and in time that seemed forever to humans but just a speck in time for someone as ancient as he was. He sighed deeply and lowered his finger, the image of Earth lowering back onto the table and continuing its movements around the sun. As he followed the movements as it shrunk back down to the correct size to the model he noticed the moon revolving around it. He swallowed thickly as thoughts of the God of the moon and stars crashed into him.
His fingers curled into a fist at the memory of their last encounter when their attempt to touch left a hand-sized burn on Jonghyun’s cheek. The pain had subsided quickly, but the mark was fresh and present for a few days after as a reminder of what their desire to touch represented. He uncurled his hand and stared at it, as if the frostbite burn that had been present would still be there even with their extreme rate of healing. Would their lives be better without their love present? Would it be far easier to exist at all without the never-ending ache in their chests at the thought of the other’s affection and comfort they could never experience?
He pushed from the table so roughing the thick, heavy chair fell back and caused the entire room to shake. In a swirl of his robes, eyes a blazed, he walked through the archway that leads to the pathway that was a ring around the central atrium where he did most of his duties. He passed the portkey where the iridescent orb sat on the swirling golden stand that would take him to other parts of his circular castle. Above was his set of rooms where his bed-chamber was, more of a relaxing, lounging place more than anything, and below was where his heated pool and scrolls were stored. He kept walking until he pushed open the thick, glass doors that led to the main balcony. As the castle rotated on its axis the balcony faced different directions, but he knew where to look. It was blurry in the wisps of clouds and fog, but the silver and grey of Jonghyun’s sphere glinted a little in the golden glow of their kingdom of the Gods.
The wind blew his warm, golden hair back, his eyes squinting just a little. His robes whipped against his thighs, sleeves pushed up on his arms, and his gold and silver bracelets clinked against one another as they were moved. He shifted his eyes to the iridescent orb to his right, sitting on the deep black metal stand. It was the portkey that could take him to any other part of their Kingdom. He knew in all his wisdom he shouldn’t go, couldn’t go, but his heart was breaking in his chest and taking over his better judgment. His palm landed on the cool to the touch orb, and with one thought he was beamed to the balcony on Jonghyun’s sphere. He let out a rushed breath, emotions starting to spike being so much closer to him.
Slowly his hand slipped from the orb to his right and he took a step toward the sparkling doors that led into Jonghyun’s sphere. It was smaller than Jinki’s, but the god never complained about it. Stepping into the sphere the lights were dimmed, the dark floor was covered in constellations, depending on where they were in relation to the moon, and the Sun. They shined brightly, with thick diamonds in each of the main star points, as they swerved to either side of him and faded into the distance. Jinki didn’t need to think about where Jonghyun was, for he could feel him as if a taut string was pulling them together. The doors leading to Jonghyun’s center atrium loomed before him, silver and bright, white swirling through as it sparkled and glinted in the cool light coming from within. Frustration and yearning fueled his actions, and before he could think he was pushing open the doors.
Jonghyun was in the middle of his large, deep blue colored pool, that stretched the majority of the large room. His silver and gray hair was easily spotted in the large dome room. The rocks were dark around the pool and in the back, where a number of different sized waterfalls were present. On the surface of the water were the constellations, where he could move them up across the dome to where they needed to be. He turned so rapidly, the constellation he was moving falling from the air and crashing into the water once again. His hair was haphazard, blowing across his face, eyes wide and lips parted as he let out a little gasp of surprise. He softened when he saw Jinki, love pouring from the gaze, but there was a speck of something else. Sadness.
He straightened a little, water falling just below his navel as the constellations completely disappeared, their tether to him dissipating as he let them go. “Oh my Love, you know very well how we cannot.”
“I can make fires destroy everything in its path, create and destroy cultures and peoples, but I cannot touch the being I love without harming both of us.” Jinki softly says, anger edging into his voice. The temperature in the room is slowly rising as his emotions bubble up. “Give me one last chance. I need to know if we can be together. I cannot handle being so far away from you with this ache in my chest. It burns through me like a powerful fire and you’re the only thing that could ever put it out. If I cannot love you, even after all this time, I must let you go.”
All resolve that Jonghyun may have had drained away. He’s so soft in being and in his movements, not being able to take Jinki crying and in pain even a little bit, as his hand comes down so his palm his flat against his pool. The dark waters rush apart, creating a path between Jinki and himself. “Your beautiful golden light is grey, my love. I couldn’t take it being any dimmer.”
Jinki’s hand slowly moves to pull the first tie holding his elaborate robes together, quickly moving through the smaller ones until like water, it fell in ripples around him revealing his bronze, beautiful skin. His bracelets were slipped off, followed by his rings. Both causing the sound of tinkling metal to echo across the dome of the ceiling. The water still left on the dark stone steps sizzled as his foot was placed on it. Each step a bit of steam came from where his foot landed until he was standing just enough to feel Jonghyun’s quickly, rushed breaths. Jinki takes a shuddering breath, soft tears falling down his cheeks and dripping from his chin, for he knows if they burn each other once again there would never be another chance. That this would be goodbye for eternity. Jinki then softly whispers, almost too quiet to be heard over the splash of the waterfalls behind Jonghyun. “Knowing I must do this, I still have a feeling of hesitation. Saying goodbye to you was never desired.”
There’s a smile, so soft and lovely, on Jonghyun’s face as Jinki lifts his hand slowly. Fingers spread out, palm flat, and shaking just a little in his nervousness. It’s like time and their breathing stops until for the first time Jinki feels the softness of Jonghyun’s skin. Jinki lets out a shuddering, shaking, breath as Jonghyun’s eyes flutter briefly. When they open again, it’s like Jinki can see the entire universe in their beautiful depths. “You are so... Warm. I thought you’d be hot, like a piece of wood burnt from the fire, but all I feel is comfort and softness.”
Gazing at his face, Jinki’s eyes flick down to his lips. “I want to kiss your lips so desperately my love, but I don’t wish to push our time of good fortune.”
With sure movements, Jonghyun reaches out and curls his fingers of his right hand around the back of Jinki’s neck as he leans forward. The water previously held back, rushes forward, crashing into them. The sound of water sizzling into steam is heard, but not over the gasp leaving Jinki’s lips just before Jonghyun’s press against his. His eyes flutter as Jonghyun presses closer, the other hand snaking around his waist. Jonghyun’s lips are so soft and sweet, and the kiss is everything they had ever imagined a kiss would be. They part just briefly, to gaze into each other’s eyes before they press deeper. Fingers move into each other’s hair, tugging them close, for neither wanted any more space between them for as long as possible. When they finally parted, noses brushing, Jinki softly asked, “How is this possible, my love? We’ve tried so many times and being together has never worked out.”
Jonghyun bit his lower lip, front teeth sinking into the red, almost bruised, flesh. He looked up through his lashes, a little smile on his face. “Oh, but you are the King of the Gods, my brilliant sun. If anyone should know it would be you.”
Jinki’s eyes reflected his wisdom, but also his confusion. “I need to go to my atrium, but don’t wish to leave you in case we never get another chance to touch again.”
“Then I will come with you,” Jonghyun pecked his lips, and hummed after parting just a little, “You’re just so sweet to the taste.”
With a heaving breath, Jinki stepped back in the water, moving his hand down to curl their fingers together, and a soft smile was on his face as Jonghyun stepped closer, “Come. We’ll find the answers together.”
As they made their way out of the cool pool Jonghyun softly asked, “What about our robes?”
Jinki acknowledged the pile of silk fabric on the smooth floor for a moment before stepping over it. “What’s modesty?”
“Something you do not possess apparently.” At the calmly stated words, Jinki grinned. Their feet padded against the floor as they walked toward the balcony doors. Jinki pulled Jonghyun ever so close into his side, wrapping his arm around him as he placed his palm on the orb. Jonghyun gasped a little at the motion and his stomach flipped a little when Jinki smiled so charmingly down at him. He wrapped his arms around the Sun God and squeezed his eyes shut. He never did like projecting from orb to orb and only did so when it was required of him.
“You can open your eyes, beautiful.” When he did Jinki laughed a little as he squinted.
“However is it so bright?”
“I’m the sun, dear.” Jinki laughed quietly before leading him through the balcony doors and into the central atrium. Jonghyun gasped at the beauty of it all and the soft warmth, of how Jinki, the place was. He looked around him dazed as he followed Jinki with gentle, short steps. He watched amazed as Jinki moved his hands, the motions moving items on the large glass table.
“You have the entire universe at your fingertips.” Jonghyun breathed as he stepped closer to wrap his arms around Jinki’s middle and press against him. Their nudity didn’t seem to matter. “It’s breathtaking.”
He felt Jinki’s rushed intake of breath before he heard it, “The eclipse.”
“The what, love?” Jonghyun asked as he slipped under his arm to gaze at the projection.
“The moon is in line with the sun, blocking the light from hitting the Earth.” Jinki opened his closed fist to zoom into the solar system, showing the detail of it all. “It’s a solar eclipse. That has to be the reason we can touch now. It is the only differing characteristic from the other attempts.”
“How long does the eclipse last?”
“Depends really, on the position in line, and how close or far the moon is from the Earth.” Jinki’s eyes shifted slowly over to his face, lifting his hand up to cup his jaw and press a kiss to his lips. “Do you want to risk being hurt now to figure out how long it does?”
Jonghyun’s eyes fluttered close as he pushed up to brush their noses together, to breathe the same air, and softly move his fingers through his shoulder-length, beautiful hair. “I wish to take as much time as I have, my love. Your burn would never hurt as much as the ache in my chest being great distances from you.”
Jinki’s hand moved up Jonghyun’s chest, curling around his throat for a moment as it moved up to cup the back of his head. “You pull me toward you like the tide, my dear moon. I can’t find it in myself to refuse you.”
“Then don’t,” Jonghyun pulled at Jinki’s bottom lip with his teeth, eyes warm as he gazed at him through his lashes. “Love on me as if this is the last time, my love.”
His breathing hitched for a moment before lifted him up, carefully setting him on the edge of his glass table. Jonghyun’s thighs fell open, allowing him to fit just between them. He grazed his fingertips over his cheekbones and jaw, up to push them through the silver and light blues of his hair. His eyes were so focused and heated, but the softness of his expression showed the fondness he held. “All my time existing, time moving on, never have I wanted to stop it from moving more than I do now.”
Jinki dipped his head then, kissing his neck and brushing his nose along the taut skin as Jonghyun leaned his head back. His eyes were closed as he pushed his fingers in Jinki’s golden hair. The neatly kept hair was beginning to frizz, falling in strands around his face. “No matter how much time passes between these so-called eclipses,” Jonghyun breathed heavily as Jinki continued to kiss him. “I will always wait for you.”
When Jinki lifted his head, his hands were warm as he cupped each side of his jaw, thumbs moving over his cheeks oh so softly. “How I ever thought I could give you up escapes me.”
Jonghyun laid his hands over Jinki’s, smiling widely as he said, “Love makes us do crazy things, my love.”
“How about I show you my pool, My dear?”
“Is it as bright as this?”
Jinki chuckled, deep within his chest, eyes squinting as he smiled. “Not so illuminating. There’s less gold there.”
“Lead the way, my sunshine.”