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“Khun Khatha -”
“You can just call me Khatha. I think we’ve been through enough, there’s no need for polite speech.”
“I don’t think it would be right. You’re older; I should show respect.”
Khatha raised an eyebrow. “Am I older? From what I’ve heard from God and Death it seems like you may have been around far longer than me in some form or another.”
Dome shook his head - a denial? Or just discomfort with the idea?
“Maybe I should be the one using honorifics, Khun.” Khatha continues, the barest of smiles passing his lips.
Dome blushed. Khatha’s hand twitched slightly, he wanted to reach up and touch the pink skin of Dome’s cheek. He held himself back.
“There’s no need for that.” Dome insisted.
Khatha decided to play with him a little bit.
“Actually now that I think of it, you’re practically a God in your own right. Or at least God’s right-hand man. It’s been a terrible oversight of me to speak with you in informal language, when I should be worshiping at your feet, Khun.”
Khatha was teasing, but as he said it, he realized it was half the truth. Somewhere along the way, Dome had become like his personal God. Not in the way Chan had, by using his magic to gain power. No, the way Dome had snuck into Khatha’s heart was quieter, and more subtle. He had never grabbed for power or tried to collect followers.
If Chan was the moon - beautiful, but fickle, cycling between giving all his light to Khatha, and cutting him off completely, leaving him alone in the dark - Dome was the sun, an unerring force of light in Khatha’s life. And Dome’s gravity was so great, Khatha knew he would never escape its pull, even if he wanted to. Right now that was the last thing he wanted.
As Khatha realized this, his face took on the mask of a rapt devotee, and Dome's blush grew even deeper. This time Khatha couldn’t stop himself. He reached out and laid his fingers against Dome’s cheek. He felt the heat spreading where their skin came into contact. Dome’s blush only grew darker, and his skin grew warmer. Khatha felt as if a slow fire was burning up his arm, straight to his chest.
For a long moment they just stood there like that, looking into each other's eyes, connected by Khatha’s touch. Khatha leaned forward, unconsciously drawn in by Dome’s gaze. They were close enough he felt Dome’s breath against his face. Then Dome shook his head, breaking the spell.
“Please stop it. I’m no God. And I’m not your senior, you shouldn’t call me Khun.”
“Then we’ll just call each other by our names.”
“Yes. Wait, no, Khun -”
“No, you’ve already agreed to it. You wouldn’t go back on your word, would you?”
“Fine… Khatha.” He said the name tentatively, and it lingered in the air between them. Khatha didn’t want to break the silence, but something about it felt dangerous and electric - like a live wire he shouldn't leave exposed for too long.
“You had something you wanted to tell me.” Khatha nudged, reminding Dome how this conversation had started in the first place.
~~~~
Khatha was staring up at the shadows that the moon - only one moon - cast across his room. He hadn’t been sleeping well since they made it back to their universe. Back in the other universe, Dome had always slept within his line of sight. It had been a necessity in case they needed to flee in the middle of the night. It wouldn’t do to be separated.
Now his bed felt too big, and too cold. And although he knew Dome was safe in his own room at the museum, just down the hall, he had trouble convincing his racing mind of that fact. He felt on edge any time Dome left his sight. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the knock on his bedroom door.
He pulled himself together, chiding himself for being so sensitive, and walked over to the door. Standing there, barefoot and looking impossibly small in his matching plaid pajama set, was Dome.
“I didn’t wake you, did I?” He asked, his voice soft and low.
“No. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just couldn’t sleep. I haven’t been sleeping. I was wondering…” Dome looked away, suddenly shy. Khatha grabbed his chin and directed it up so they were making eye contact.
“Wondering what?” Khatha prompted.
“Could I sleep in here tonight? I can grab my blanket and pillow and sleep on the floor.”
“There’s plenty of room in the bed.” Khatha replied. Dome smiled brightly.
“You’re sure it’s okay, Khatha? I’m not being too much of a bother?”
“It’s more than okay. I haven’t been sleeping well either.”
They fell asleep with a respectable distance between them, but when Khatha woke up his arm was stretched around Dome, and Dome’s head was resting on his chest. He reveled in the quiet sound of Dome’s breathing. He was entranced by the way the early morning sunlight cast its shadows across the planes of Dome’s face. He felt like he was getting away with something, just getting to watch Dome sleep.
~~~~
Something about the expression on Dome’s face brought Khatha back to a conversation he had with Chan shortly after they met. It wasn’t a momentous occasion. Nothing that would make The One’s torture-reel of moments with Chan before it all went wrong. It was just a normal day. They were fishing and planning their next meal. What did they have that would go well with fresh fish? Khatha wondered to himself if this was what it was like to have a family. Having someone by your side who would be there for the mundane, everyday tasks.
Khatha pulled himself back to the present to focus on the conversation with Dome. They were deciding which wing in the museum was most in need of cleaning. Something in Khatha’s expression must have given him away, though, because Dome stopped mid sentence.
“You know you’re allowed to mourn him. If you think it’s going to make me feel…” He searched for the right word and eventually continued, “uncomfortable because we share the same face. I’m fine. I know he was special to you and it’s not like I think I can take his place.”
Khatha was taken aback. Dome and Chan were so different, it had never even occurred to him that Dome might be seen as some sort of replacement version.
“Of course you wouldn’t take his place. You’ve got your own place here.” Khatha meant here in the physical sense, but his own body betrayed him as he raised a hand and placed it over his own heart.
Dome blinked a few times, then nodded. He took a step forward and clasped the hand that wasn’t held to Khatha’s chest.
“Thank you, for giving me a home here. For letting me stay by your side. I just want you to know it’s not a betrayal if I remind you of him sometimes. You loved him. You’re allowed to grieve.”
Khatha was struck by that. Love. He had loved Chan. Chan had filled every role in his life, and he had loved him in every way possible. And then he had lost him, due to his own jealousy, his own mistakes. And he had closed himself off to love for so long. Had forgotten what it even felt like.
Now he had people in his life who he loved again. And he realized there were different ways to love when you didn’t do it selfishly. When you didn’t cling to a single person and covet their attention and affection. He loved Triphob and June like family. And Dome, the way he felt about Dome was different.
“Chan died a long time ago. And I mourned him for a long time. You’re right, I’m occasionally reminded of him. I’ll always carry those memories with me. But I’m not stuck in it anymore. I’m right here. With you.”
He squeezed Dome’s hand. Dome squeezed back.
~~~~
Khatha had been away on business for a few days. When he got back, Dome ran to greet him and gave him a huge hug. Khatha felt an awful wave of déjà vu remembering The One greeting him in a very similar manner. His body got tense and he didn’t hug Dome back. After a moment, Dome let go and took a step backward, looking vulnerable and confused. His expression was so genuine, so quintessentially Dome, that it erased any doubt in Khatha’s mind. He stepped forward and pulled Dome into a tight hug.
“I missed you.” Dome whispered into Khatha’s chest. Khatha’s heart rate increased. He wondered if Dome could hear it. Maybe he should step away to not give away his feelings. But the warmth of Dome’s body in his arms was too pleasant to truly entertain that idea.
“I missed you too,” he said.
Dome turned his head to look up at Khatha without pulling back from the hug.
“Why didn’t you hug me back at first?”
“The One ran up to me just like that. I was having flashbacks.” Khatha tried and failed to make it sound like a joke.
“Oh. I’m sorry.” Dome started to pull away from the hug. Khatha firmly pulled him back against his chest.
“Don’t be. I like it when it’s you. I like this.”
Dome smiled. At first it was just a contented smile, but something mischievous crept over his expression.
“Maybe I should do something The One has never done. You know, to prove it’s really me.”
Khatha wasn’t sure what Dome was implying, but something about his tone made Khatha blush. He could see Dome noticing his blush. That seemed to make up Dome’s mind about his next move. He stood on his tiptoes, and kissed Khatha’s right cheek. It was slow and gentle. After Dome's lips broke contact with his skin, Khatha could still feel the spot on his cheek burning. Dome then kissed Khatha’s left cheek. Khatha’s whole face was on fire now. It was a good burn; Khatha wanted it to devour him.
“Is this okay?” Dome asked. Khatha couldn’t speak, so he just nodded.
“Can I?” Dome asked, and his eyes were firmly planted on Khatha’s lips. This time Khatha closed the gap and kissed Dome.
Khatha was extremely aware of the feeling of Dome’s lips on his. Of the pressure of Dome’s body still pressed up against his own. He felt one of Dome’s hands trailing down his back, then playing with the edge of his shirt. His skin was on fire where Dome touched it. Khatha had never felt this alive.