MORTAL LOVE - complete MxM paranormal romance

14

For days, Hiro had been memorizing Rama's features. The arc of his dark eyebrows and the fullness of his lips. The roughness of his stubble along the strong line of his jaw.

Every hour he told himself he would only stay a little longer.

He knew he needed to leave.

Yasser would take care of him. The human healer had proven capable. Though Rama hadn't regained consciousness, his breathing had deepened and the fever had broken after a few days.

He'd be alright.

With even more scars to prove himself a warrior, but alive.

The Rohi weren't interested in the humans. They'd been pawns to draw Erisi out, which meant they'd leave Rama alone if he was no longer around.

Still he found himself incapable of leaving. He lingered in the small house. He slept as close to Rama as he could while his body healed. He woke up and spent his moments engraving every detail about the man into his mind, his heart, and his soul.

He traced his thumb along Rama's temple and jaw, softly, reverently. "Yours," he whispered. "Even when I'm gone."

Rama's eyelashes fluttered.

"Rama." He cupped the man's cheek. "Can you hear me?"

It was a soft groan, but Hiro felt it reverberate to his core. When the man's brown eyes locked with his, he knew that this was what he'd been waiting for.

He'd needed to be seen one more time. He needed to hear his name from the man's lips just one more time.

Rama made a guttural sound and started coughing, his body wracked with the rough movements, muscles straining.

Grabbing the cup of water nearby, Hiro helped him drink. Water sloshed down his cheeks, but Rama got enough to soothe the coughing.

"H-Hiro," Rama whispered, reaching out to him. With a grimace, he let his arm fall back. Hiro didn't doubt that the healing wound on his chest brought sheer agony with every movement.

"Thank Fate you're alright," Hiro murmured, caressing Rama's cheek. Capturing the way the man whispered his name, the way it made his heart race, and the heated skin underneath his fingertips.

It didn't take long for Rama's eyes to close again. As they fell shut, Hiro whispered, "Goodbye."