I come from the water

I saw the crosses of empty cathedrals whose prospects were hanging out in bars

“I do.” He offers easily, surprisingly swift on the heels of Nate’s acceptance. And Sunjata realizes he’s not quite close enough, not as he shifts a small amount and focuses on the man, aiming to get closer so his head can rest on Nate’s shoulder — so close, like a blanket, able to swing a leg over the Ascended’s hips, the position one he usually wouldn’t give into too much given the vulnerability… and yet, here he is.

He exhales softly with the feeling of Nate’s hand tracing along his back, and he listens, keeping his gaze focused on Nate the best that he can now that he’s settled and feeling quite content, sluggishly slow but happy despite it. He knows he’s special to Nate, but something about hearing it now has him shifting a small amount internally, almost sad that he hadn’t seen it before, but why does that matter now when they’re both exactly where they want to be? It’s not until Nate says that he loves him more than he’s ever loved anyone that Sunjata truly stills, that boyish smile growing a bit wider as he focuses on Nate. He wants to say the same but he’s not sure that he can… Not with the memory of Lusea always around. But gods if the love he had for Nate right here wasn’t really fucking close to that.

Perhaps Hotaru was right, that he’d changed and she’d changed in this place. When maybe him and Luci hadn’t been able to fit together as they once had. Perhaps that’s because there was something better for him waiting — a someone that fit better with the Flood when he wasn’t stuck in the dangers of Korofi and under his father's thumb.

His hand still trails in Nate’s hair, feeling the soft tresses run through calloused fingers. A soft sigh slips him from the kiss to his forehead, lids fluttering closed as he rests his cheek along the Ascended’s shoulder, giving into the sensation in his mind and his body. “You do make me happy. And you’ve kept me safe… what… how many times? No, wait.. Especially that first day we met.” Perhaps some of it is mumbled, fingers trailing to rest at Nate’s neck, rubbing smooth circles into the hollow of his shoulder. “I was kind of scared, you know. Never done anything like this before… but I’m glad. Really fucking glad. And I don’t want your heart to explode… What would I do without you?” He asks, though it’s laced with a breathy chuckle.

But then his head is lifting again to scan Nate’s face, that same crooked and boyish smile crossing his face only for Nate as he focuses hard. “So… can you tell me how you broke the guys window?” He asks, amusement lingering in his face, finally happy to have that question from earlier out in the open — hoping to learn more.

SUNJATA