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"I love you, Thame."
The words rang in Thame's ears long after Po said them. It seemed impossible that Po had never said them before, that this was the first time he'd ever been blessed with their sound in almost a year of dating. Po had shown his love in countless ways, had lit Thame's world like nothing else ever had. His heart had been full of their shared feelings, their shared love. But, until now, Po had never said it aloud.
Po jerked in shock when tears began dripping down Thame's cheeks. And it was stupid. They were just sitting down to eat breakfast. It shouldn't be so monumental.
Po stood from his seat and rounded the table to kneel next to Thame's chair. "Thame?" he asked, the word steeped in his worry and care as he reached out to gently touch Thame's cheeks. See? Thame hadn't needed the words to know.
"I'm okay," Thame assured him, even smiling though he couldn't stop the tears.
His words did not have the intended effect. Instead, Po's brows came together, his lips pursing. Guiltily, he brushed Thame's tears and said, "I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you."
He told Thame he loved him in the way he made coffee, and how they helped each other cook meals. Po told him in the kinds of movies he watched with Thame, in the way he always bought shampoo in scents Thame liked, and in every picture or video he made for MARS. Every lingering glance and lasting touch, every cheer and reassurance, all of his quiet support. He told Thame that he loved him when he shared their relationship with his high school friends, and his parents, and his boss, without hesitation. Thame had known, with every beat of his heart, that Po loved him.
Thame shook his head, then reached up to cover Po's hands with his own. "P'Po. I already knew."
It was Po's turn to shake his head. "But that's not the same as saying it aloud. You deserve to hear it every day. I should've said it sooner." And it looked like he might cry too.
A laugh escaped, wet and overcome. When Po tilted his head in adorable confusion, Thame turned his head to plant a kiss to Po's palm.
"Who knew we'd be such criers, huh?" Thame teased.
Po shook his head, fond and exasperated. Then he leaned up to give Thame a kiss. His hands still framed Thame's face, giving him the perfect leverage to move Thame's face where he wanted it and hold him there. Each kiss they shared was slow, languid, not leading to anything more than a communication of deeply held feelings. When Po made to pull back, Thame used his own grip on Po's hand to hold him in place for just a few more kisses.
Just a few more.
Just forever.
"I love you, Thame," Po repeated, his breath ghosting across Thame's lips and leaving them tingling.
Smiling, Thame ran his nose along Po's like a cat rubbing its head on what it liked. "I love you, P'Po."
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