The shadow of a figure danced across the floorboards, an outline of someone bent lazily against the door frame. A single golden lamp illuminated the room, and just that light was enough to make out a pair of glimmering blue eyes in the inky darkness. Your heart faltered, breath hitching in your throat-

“Kai?” You whispered, your voice shaking.

He melted out of the darkness, handsome as ever, familiar goofy grin plastered to his flushed lips. 

“Hi,” he breathed lightly.

And just like that, the crushing pain of loss you’d been drowning in for years was gone, and he was here in the flesh, and god, you loved him so damn much. Tears clawing at your eyes, your voice was lost as you bolted across the room, plummeting straight into his outstretched arms, sobbing uncontrollably into the soft fabric of his tee. You couldn’t believe it. That overpowering cologne was his, those firm arms locking around your waist were his, and that heartbeat strumming in his chest was his.

“Is it really you?” you wept in shock, fingers clawing into his back as you pressed tighter, wanting to know that this feeling was real.

“It’s me, sweetheart,” he cooed, his hand coming up to your head, the feeling of his cool rings gliding across your skin as he ran his fingers through your hair.

You released him, bending up on your tip-toes to reach his perfectly sculpted face. You trailed your fingertips lightly over his features in awe, finger pads gliding across his jawline, stubble, and tracing around his lips. 

“Malachai?” you whispered again, still disbelieving. “How do I know I’m not hallucinating?”

His fingers crawled under your chin, raising your head so your eyes were forced to meet his brilliant blue ones.

“Because if you were,” his voice rumbled deeply, “you wouldn’t feel this.”

His eyes fluttered closed, full lips coming gently to lock with yours. His hands went slithering around your waist, lips conjoined like two puzzle pieces, the taste of his mouth intoxicating. His nose squished against yours as he dipped in deeper for the briefest of moments before drawing back.

“Believe me now?” he asked gently.

But you didn’t need to answer, for the tears streaming down your cheeks told the answer. Kai brushed off your tears before bringing his fingers to pull away your loose strands of hair affectionately back into place. You brought your forehead to his, arms swinging around his neck, the aching in your heart numbing with every second he held you.

“I promised you I’d go to hell and back for you,” he murmured.