Seeing Caesarion and hearing the man’s voice were getting to the Kelvic. They made him far more emotional than he had been in the past few months. He had felt rather numb in comparison to now, where his heart was in pain but beating rapidly all the same. He was flooded with feel-good emotions in seeing and hearing Caesarion, but his mind sought for sense and reason, making each beat hurt against his sternum. It didn’t help their bodies were close again, and although the Kelvic was very much a hot blooded being, Caesarion’s heat seemed radiate stronger.

Noah was asked what he wanted to do, what his heart and body told him. A kiss was placed upon his mouth, after which he licked his lips to taste what remained. It was uplifting to hear Caesarion confess his love, but it was conflicting to have his own feelings begged to be confessed and addressed.

The final question weighed heavily on the Kelvic’s mind, giving him an immense pause. In that pause, his hand came up and rested on the muscle of Caesarion’s chest. The mound of flesh felt familiar yet foreign at the same time. He realized that was how he wished to describe Caesarion in that moment: familiar yet foreign. His gaze fell from the connection and looked to the tiniest space between their shoes instead, thinking and considering. There was still a great amount of love in his heart for Caesarion, the space was never evicted. Instead, it was hidden behind a brick wall of new memories and emotions. They didn’t last long against the emotional onslaught his former bondmate was causing, breaking down each layer of the wall in order to reveal the deeply hidden tenderness, a treasure.

“I believe it is you who should call me selfish,” Noah finally said. “Even after all of this time, after rehearsing this conversation in my head day after day after day, I still disregard the words you say because I realize that I’d rather face death in an attempt to save you than to have a bond broken again. I don’t know if it speaks of love or of foolishness, or of foolishness caused by love.” He smiled softly, looking up at the man again.

“You just kissed me,” he went on, “something I didn’t think I would feel ever again, outside of my dreams. The dreams you’ve been in night after night to no end, especially recently.” He shook his head slightly in disbelief. “Maybe dreams do actually come true? Maybe Lhex was giving me a sign that you would return to me, that I would feel the touch of your lips and... your hands.”

Noah licked his lips once more, trailing his hand from Caesarion’s pectoral to go down the man’s ribcage. “What does moving forward mean for me? For you? Us?” he asked. “I have a life here in Kenash; it’s better than what I could ask for after my past, after you and another. What do you suggest I do?”