“You don’t have to die like this.”

The soft voice out of the shadows sent Tatsuya staggering to his feet and back against the wall. Novem stepped slowly toward him, light gliding over dark clothes and pale hair. He stopped a short breath away.

“You don’t have to die like this,” he murmured again.

Tatsuya coughed against the pain in his throat and managed a glare.

“If you don’t think so why don’t you stop it, then? It’s your friend choking me.”

Cool, gray eyes narrowed.

“To destroy any who impede us, this is Sensei’s wish. The others are right. I will not ignore his wishes.”

“Then why don’t you try to kill me too?”

Novem stirred, and raised one hand just shy of Tatsuya’s face. Novem’s eyes were softer now. Staring up at him, pressed against the wall, Tatsuya saw a different blond man. Darker, not so inhumanly tall, dressed in casual jeans and coat rather than a sleek and weirdly patterned black tunic.

Fujisaki…

…who had seen his fear that first time and always waited for Tatsuya’s consent now. Whose cool, gray eyes softened in that moment when he looked down at Tatsuya before extending his power.

…the same eyes…

In the moment Tatsuya breathed out, shoulders falling, hands opening, Novem closed both palms delicately around Tatsuya’s face.

…shock…the shock of contact…like Fujisaki’s power, but more…not cool and supple, but warm, flooding, closing around him…

And strange.

“See. Feel,” Novem whispered.

…like the taste of salt in a dessert…a current of sand in the ocean…a tiny electric shock in a cloud of warmth, always moving, unpredictable…Tatsuya twisted trying to find it, brush it away…the warmth was growing…enfolding…water over his head…

He opened his eyes…

…when had he closed them?…

…and found that he was clinging to Novem’s shoulders, sagging against him. He raised his face like a diver seeking air. Novem’s eyes took up the world. His husky voice echoed in Tatsuya’s mind, quiet, musing.

Not-human, but human too.

Novem’s arms wound around Tatsuya’s waist as he leaned down and touched his lips to Tatsuya’s.

…water closing…heat…another wave of power swelled through him…the salt was sweet, the sand was soft, the shock…his breath was gone, his body…Novelle…

Tatsuya clung harder to Novem, trying to find one still point, any still point. Novem caught him closer, lifting Tatsuya up off his feet.

…another body, hard, cool in the heat…the shocks everywhere…twisting to find them…parting for them…heat…open…the shocks touching…everywhere…his breath, fast, almost gone again…

Novem’s voice found him, sound tangible in the strangeness.

Not-human and human; living, like us all.

…husky, cool, velvet hand moving down his body…between his…his body again…the rough texture of his own cry…

Tatsuya returned to find himself still lifted up, Novem’s lips against his throat. Tatsuya stared blankly over Novem’s shoulder as his panting breath slowed, and the heat seeped into his bones.

“Novem…”

Novem let him down and stood, gravely, waiting. Tatsuya leaned against him, the one still point he could touch, that touched him.

Why had he thought Novem’s eyes were cool?

A faint smile quirked Novem’s mouth, such as he often wore when he saw Tatsuya.

“Don’t die like this. Live like this, instead.”

He kissed Tatsuya again, hard and deep this time, and Tatsuya met him, opening his mouth under Novem’s.

heat

Tatsuya made a small sound and tucked his head under the sleek ivory curve of Novem’s jaw.

…Novem…?

No, that was not his name. Not…here. Tatsuya felt a pattern in his mind, hefted it.

…midnight violet…dull curves…a few sharp, broken edges…light, lemon ice…

This was his own name. And that was the other’s.

…electric blue…upswept…long…keen and bright…hot, dry bitter…

The one written on Novem’s tunic.

The other’s wings enfolded him, the scrape and rustle comforting. He trailed his talons lightly down one of the arms around him, and hear the other’s chuckle.

Come.

End