#(i dont thin kt here are any other natural pauses to put it in place of)

[sasster]

Cue the Sun

Woe, Google Doc be upon ye

-

The rain torrents relentlessly outside of the Embalmers home, it is enough to make Orfuse curse himself for taking the trip on his own without first checking the weather. But on the same hand, the rain was welcomed. Though it flattens his hair against his head, and a fleeting thought can’t help but spare itself for the day of his revival, it also sweeps his nerves up from his very core and casts them into the earth in the form of much easier to handle water droplets. In the end, the water serves to make him feel much lighter.

No matter how much of a wet cat he must look like right now, he’d waited for the appropriate time to get this done.

The oracle takes a deep breath, to steel what the rain left behind of his nerves, and knocks on the door with three quick raps. Then he takes a step back and smooths his jacket over in an effort to make himself more presentable in the downpour. 

Slowly the door opens and each second he is made to wait feels as though his heart is being held over an open flame. There’s a selfish thought. How long had he made Thanat wait after all?

In the doorway stands the vessel of one of his great loves. Illuminated from behind, Orfuse cannot see much of him in the face of the shadow cast. He didn’t need to, though, to see that he was tired. Worn thin by the struggle of holding it together, no doubt. Not that he thinks himself faring any better.

He must look so pathetic, he thinks, the way he feels his face light up at the sight of his mate.

Thanat pauses, surely with thoughts consumed with anger for the cruelty of what must be his eyes deceiving him.

“Orfuse-- ”

Caressed by the voice of his lover, like an old friend to his poor tired ears, Orfuse throws himself into his arms despite his better judgment.

“I’m clean! I’m clean from the rain!” He shouts by way of an apology as he squeezes his arms tightly around him.

For his part, Thanat is stunned. Of course he is. Seconds ago he was certain that Orfuse would sooner see himself back into his grave than torture himself in the company of his former torturer again. Now here he is, burying his face into the crook of the mortician's neck as he always did when they embraced, mumbling his apologies.

He hesitates, for a fraction of a second, before fixing his arms around him and squeezing so tightly that anyone could be forgiven for assuming he was trying to absorb the smaller troll.

“It doesn’t quite work that way.” Thanat finally responds with a good amount of humor in his voice, though not nearly enough to stave off the cracks in it.

“The rules are different for me.” He jokes, sniffling through his tears.

“They always have been, dear.”

They stand like that for a moment, Orfuse burying shuddering sobs into his partners neck like prayers against his skin.

After an eternity of holding each other Orfuse pulls back, perhaps too soon, to look up at him.

“I won’t live with you.”

Thanat shakes his head, running a hand first along the small of his back then up his side.

“I did not expect you to.”

“And, uhm, whatever fight you’ve been having with Addy… You two are going to talk about it.”

The mortician watches as his partner makes his demands, as though his death was merely a vacation and the world did not suffer for his absence, with a soft smile that Orfuse cannot see.

“I believe that one is up to Aderae.”

“Well, I already talked to him about it.”

“Ah. Of course. You know that I’ve always admired your foresight, my love.”

Orfuse laughs breathlessly, taking his turn to run a hand down the length of Thanat’s arm. When he reaches his hand he takes it into his and laces their fingers together.

“I still don’t forgive you for giving up your mortality just like that for something so stupid.” He says, not looking up from their intertwined fingers. “It was dumb.”

“I would have died without you otherwise.”

“I know.” His voice is as soft as the thumb Thanat uses to rub the back of his hand. “I know you would have.”