#i'm already using alu's nickname as my name on this blog anyway

[allcae]

OC Kiss Week 2025 - Upon My Return

Day 4 - Reunion (1465 words)

Mel stares at the familiar spaceship as his small shuttle approaches it, sputtering. It won't be long til he discards the metal hunk o' trash in favour of the lavish halls and rooms of his old home. He's far too excited, more so than he thought he would be. He doesn't feel like it's showing on his face, but he catches Ali watching him with a knowing smile. Caught staring, her mouth widens into a grin.

She's probably thinking of something else...

The something that Mel hasn't dared to think about his entire way back. More than missing the ship itself, Mel has missed the people on it. His mentors, friends, family. The thought of seeing his old teammates, Kunaala and Ganti, makes him jittery and anxious. He must never admit to them how much he missed them, lest he forever face their teasing thereafter. Especially since—

"I don't know if you think not asking makes you seem chill, or what," Ali smugly pulls him from his thoughts, standing at the door leading to the control cabin, "but Jai had safely landed back two hours ago. He's already on board."

Mel nods at the information, but doesn't reply or react in any way. Ali raises an eyebrow at him, then retreats to the cockpit. Mel waits another second before he releases his breath, and with it his entire body shudders with anticipation. He feels his face heat up, his hands shake. He doubles over his lap with his hands hiding his face before a grin splits it open and he hopes with all his might that Ali didn't sneak back to catch him behaving like this. Not that he minds his cool guy persona being busted, but he'd never live it down. Not from the others, and not from Jai himself.

Mel sighs into his hands. He'll see him again soon. Deep inhale. Soon. Exhale. He's so close. Inhale. Only an hour away.

Two hours and forty six minutes later, Mel is sitting at a table in the lower meeting room, with no meeting taking place, and waiting for some random secretary to bring over some random papers that he needs to be given. Laura, who had greeted him at the entrance to the ship, explained who to wait for and what they'll bring him, but he stopped listening to explanations an hour ago.

He hasn't managed to see any of his friends yet. He'd passed by Kunaala earlier, and she barely managed to ruffle his hair before they both got whisked into different directions, with her yelling after him about dinner with everyone. The thought of a get-together party is the last hope keeping him sane in this stupid half-darkened room with an oversized table that most of the time isn't even a quarter full. He's antsy. Between anticipation anxiety and exhaustion from the trip, keeping him here is torture. Laura apologises later, when she returns with her companion and hands him his documents, but they don't even give him his phone back so he's pretty irked by the time they let him go.

It's already evening when he finally makes it to his old quarters. They've been cleaned and kept up while he was away, but untouched otherwise. Old clothes he'd left behind are still in the wardrobe, some knick knacks on shelves or in drawers. It's still very much his room, and he sighs in relief, some of his fears dissipating into the air.

Now all that's left is dinner. Before he entered his quarters, Kunaala's messenger had reached him and passed the information on what quadrant they're meeting in and the expected time. He doesn't dress up for the event, but he takes his time in and out of the shower, cleans up nicely and sprays a smidge of cologne. It's Jai's favourite, after all.

When he's ready, he stares at himself in the mirror for a moment, and nods in understanding: he's so going to sweat through his fresh clothes.

Ganti is waiting outside his door when he comes out. Leaning against the frame on the side, he greets Mel with his iconic smirk. "Looks who's finally come home," he says, mirroring Kunaala in ruffling Mel' hair. Those two really are a pair. "We missed you, li'l guy."

It would be endearing if Mel didn't know that Ganti was just making fun of his height. He scoffs and gently pokes Ganti in the ribs. "Shame I didn't miss you, then. This would be such a happy reunion otherwise."

Ganti gives a slow, deep chuckle before pulling Mel into a tight hug. He does it so fast that Mel can't even playfully protest, he just grunts before returning the hug just as fiercely.

"It's good to be all back together," Ganti murmurs above his head. Mel couldn't agree more.

Along the way to the designated cafeteria, Ganti catches him up to what events Mel had missed in his three years away. He doesn't cover everything, and not in great detail, but Mel still appreciates the basic rundown of the things Laura had skipped or glossed over during her own recap.

Ganti notably avoids any mention of Jai, and Mel is wrestling with himself to ask. It's unreasonable to expect Ganti to know everything, especially considering Jai himself had returned just before Mel did. If his reception had been half of what Mel had gone through, Jai likely didn't get to talk to the others yet, either.

"Ah," Ganti suddenly says beside him. "Your cue."

Mel looks at him in confusion, but Ganti is looking ahead, so Mel follows his gaze forward, until his eyes fall on Jai.

He's... as beautiful as Mel remembers. His hair has been cut shorter than before, and he's sporting some leather jacket that he never used to wear before. He's very obviously tired, between his quest and the journey back, there's no way he wouldn't be. But he looks good, and he's back, and he's standing right there and before Mel even processes that Jai is in the middle of something, his legs move on their own and take him to his friend, partner, boyfriend.

He's walking so fast that he gathers attention, but right now he couldn't care less. Just ten more steps, eight, five... The people Jai is talking to notice him first, and seeing their amused expressions, Jai turns around to see what's going on.

He turns in time for Mel' arms to come around him perfectly, and to Mel' infinite relief he doesn't waste a second to return the embrace. Mel is half-aware people are staring at them, but fuck them. He hasn't seen Jai in three entire years, he's not letting him go for at least another three now.

"Welcome home," he says to him, and thank Eve he does it quietly, because he practically croaks it.

Jai pulls away just enough for them to meet face to face, and gives him a gentle smile. "Thank you," he says with such emotion that Mel tears up just hearing it, "you too."

He leans forward until their lips meet. It's chaste, gentle, but so full of love that Mel' knees almost buckle the same way as they would if the kiss had instead been heated and full of passion. He missed this, he missed him, and he doesn't let go until the kisses go beyond the publicly acceptable duration and it only ends because Jai pulls away, and brings their foreheads together instead. They stand like that another minute, breathing each other in. Jai's hands on the small of Mel' back and Mel' arms around Jai's neck and for this one suspended moment they are together as one being.

Jai releases a short breath, gives him another kiss, then pulls away entirely. His previous conversation partners completely forgotten, he takes Mel by the hand, turning to face Ganti behind them instead. "Good evening to you, too."

"Ah, you remembered the rest of the world exists! How wonderful."

Mel peels his eyes away from Jai's face long enough to retort to Ganti, but he finds that despite his teasing voice, Ganti is looking at them with warm and gentle eyes. Perhaps the softest Mel has ever seen him be. It's endearing. Mel raises his free hand toward him and Jai mirrors him after a moment.

Don't be so sentimental is what Mel expects Ganti's reaction would be. He's pleasantly surprised when their senior takes them up on the offer, hugging both of them with each hand, and they return it just as lovingly. "We'll have to do this again later," Ganti reminds them, "can't have a group hug without Kunaala."

He's right, of course. Their team wouldn't be anything without her.

"Well then," Ganti starts as he pulls back, "who else is hungry?"