You're Mine, I'm Yours II

Part 14

The night stretched out endlessly, an expanse of dark velvet punctuated by the faint shimmer of countless stars. The full moon loomed large and luminous in the sky, casting silver light over the quiet, empty road. The air was cool, tinged with the faint scent of earth and the hum of distant crickets.

First stood at the front of his car, leaning back against the hood, his arms crossed loosely over his chest. His gaze drifted upward to the sky, the stillness of the night mirroring the calm he hadn't felt in so long. It was rare to find moments like this-quiet, untouched, as though the world itself had paused to catch its breath. He closed his eyes briefly, listening to the silence, letting it ground him.

The distant rumble of a car engine broke the stillness. First tilted his head, his lips curling into a small, expectant smile when he recognized the sound. A familiar car came into view, headlights cutting through the darkness before it slowed to a stop a few feet away. The driver's side door opened, and Khaotung stepped out, the soft glow of moonlight highlighting the lines of his face as he shut the door and walked toward him.

Khaotung's expression was unreadable at first, but as he closed the distance between them, the corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. First's smile widened, his heart settling in his chest in a way that felt so easy-so right.

"Hey," First murmured softly.

Khaotung stopped in front of him, his eyes glancing up at the moon before he stepped even closer. Without a word, he turned his back to First, leaning gently into him until his body settled against First's chest. First uncrossed his arms immediately, his hands finding Khaotung's waist before wrapping around him, pulling him into a quiet, protective embrace. He pressed his lips to Khaotung's neck, a soft kiss against the skin there, lingering as if to savor him.

"How did it go with your sister?" First murmured into his ear, his breath warm and calm.

Khaotung let out a quiet sigh, leaning his head back against First's shoulder, his body relaxing into the embrace. "Not bad," he said softly, his fingers brushing against First's hands where they were clasped over his stomach. "Surprisingly."

"Yeah?" First's voice was low, almost like he didn't want to disturb the stillness around them.

Khaotung nodded slightly, his gaze lifting to the sky as the moon bathed them in its glow. "We didn't fight. For once. It felt... different." He paused, his fingers absently playing with First's hand. "Like maybe there's hope for us after all."

They fell quiet again, standing still under the vast night sky. The stars seemed brighter here, scattered across the heavens like dust, and the moon cast their silhouettes in faint silver. First pressed his face into Khaotung's hair, inhaling deeply. The faint, familiar scent of Khaotung's shampoo-a mix of something clean and light, like citrus and wood-filled his lungs, pulling him back to years ago when they used to share showers after long, hard days. It was the same smell, the same comfort, and First's nose rested gently in Khaotung's hair as though anchoring himself there.

For a moment, it was as if nothing else existed in the world but them. The weight of their past, the uncertainty of the future-none of it mattered here. Here, in this fragile moment, everything was right.

"You smell the same," First murmured softly, breaking the silence. "I didn't realize how much I missed that."

Khaotung smiled faintly, his eyes still on the stars as his hands held onto First's arms around him. "You're weird," he teased lightly, though his voice was soft, fond. "But I missed this too."

First's grip tightened just a little, as if afraid Khaotung might slip away. "With you," he whispered, "everything feels... easier. Like the rest of the world disappears."