A Falling Star

Twelve

Three Weeks Later

It was after two in the morning, and Ohm found himself tossing and turning in bed. He'd been having trouble sleeping ever since he'd left the hospital. It was good to be with his family, and the bed was definitely softer, but he couldn't get Nanon out of his head. He missed him. He missed talking to him and hearing him laugh with that beautiful, throaty voice. He kept seeing the man's strange, pitch-black eyes every time he drifted off to sleep.

Finally giving up on trying to sleep, he got out of bed and started to head for his dad's study to see if he could find something to read. As he was about to open the door, he remembered the book Nanon had pressed into his hand on the day he left the hospital. He switched on the light and then went over to his cupboard. He'd dumped the back pack containing everything he had with him in the hospital on the top shelf without bothering to unpack it when he got home.

Ohm flopped down on his bed, holding the book with both hands. It was a battered copy of Behind the Scenes, by Afterday. The book Nanon had read to Pat when he was still in the hospital. He flipped through the pages, noticing that the book was obviously well-read. He turned back to the front and started to skip to the first page of the story when something caught his eye. Someone had written something near the front of the book on one of the blank pages. There were actually two notes, both in the same handwriting. Ohm smiled as he read the first note.

Pat,

You've already fucked up my book by getting custard all over it.

You might as well keep the damn thing.

Nanon

The second note was quite a bit longer and addressed to himself.

Ohm,

I was told not to do or say anything to confuse you and mess up your life any further, but I felt as though I owed it to both of us to take a chance.

I love you.

I love you as Ohm Pawat, the man who listened to the stories in my heart.

I loved you as Pat Jindapat, the man who made those stories with me.

I know I've had my chance at holding a falling star, and I guess it's only fitting that you should disappear from my life as quickly and spectacularly as you first appeared.

Even if I had known beforehand that you would only be mine for a short while, I still would've jumped at the chance for even such a fleeting moment of bliss.

I will guard our memories for both of us.

Love always,

Nanon

"I'm coming!" Nanon yelled at whoever was banging on his door. "It's not even five in the fucking morning yet. What the ..."

He trailed off, staring at the man standing in front of him, not sure if he was only dreaming.

Ohm shifted from foot to foot, suddenly nervous.

"I... uh... I wanted to know... to ask..." He took a deep breath and then tried again. "I don't have the memories in my head yet; they might never come back. But they're still in my heart, and they always will be."

He looked closely at the face of the man he'd fallen in love with for the second time, waiting for a reaction.

Nanon stood frozen, not sure if he dared believe that it was really happening.

Ohm felt as though he'd been waiting for an eternity when Nanon suddenly stepped forward. Ohm wrapped the smaller man in his arms. A smile broke over his face as he heard Nanon's soft whisper against his neck.

"Who wouldn't be willing to take in their falling star a second time?"

🌠 End 🌠