*

Invitations dispensed, friends gathered, Khai and Han ended up helping Shima cook dinner for the Baashi company of Quy, Raah and Jin. Unsurprisingly, they were the ones with cooking experience: Khai had learnt from Tien, and Han had had to cook his own dinner many times before.

Han’s willingness to cook made Khai thoughtful. Hypothetically, he wouldn’t mind that in a friend. Or partner.

“I think those noble-types are plotting something out there,” Han muttered.

Khai laughed. “With Quy, perhaps so.”

“Speaking poorly of my charge?” Shima challenged.

Han gave an erk, but Khai just grinned back. “You know better than I.”

Shima momentarily bowed his head. “Too true. Let’s bring this food out.”

They did so, and now Khai was unsurprised that Quy and the others had seated him right next to Han.

“Hey, Khai, what’s up with Song?” Jin said innocently. “He’s been hanging out with you more often lately.”

“He seemed intent on you when you were still at Baashi,” Raah mused. “Childhood friends, of sorts, weren’t you?”

Khai sighed when he felt Han tense up beside him.

“We were children, friends of circumstance,” Khai said. “And he has made it quite clear that he’s not into men, if any of you were thinking of it.”

Jin choked. “What? No! We meant—”

“Khai and Song are just friends,” Han said out.

Quy smirked.

Khai gave Quy an unimpressed look.

“Very good,” Quy said. “My brother is returning to town in a few days. Khai, would you like to dress up as me again?” There was a glint in his eye.

Khai raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

Han leaned forward. “At Baashi?”

Quy waved a negligent hand. “No. Here, or somewhere else. I have not seen my older brother for a while. We should see if he remembers. Especially if we...exchange a little magic, just to mix it up.”

“Then he would know, eventually, that I exist,” Khai pointed out.

Quy inclined his head. “Since I met you in public previously, I have made my position clear. We know each other.”

Khai snorted. “Alright then.”

The conversation moved onto other matters. But as Quy had predicted, Raah and Jin left first, and Han remained.

“I will be in my room,” Quy said. “I’m a little tired.”

“If you excuse me, I shall clean up, and retire to bed myself,” Shima said.

Khai gave them deadpan looks. “Then Han and I will be in the living room.”

“I could leave...” Han said uncertainly.

Khai shook his head. “For once, we might have the chance to speak privately without being interrupted.”

Han ducked his head. “R-right.”

In the living room, Khai lit the fire pit with a wave of his hand. He and Han took the same lounge.

“I told my mother I was gay,” Han said abruptly.

Khai’s eyes immediately landed upon him. “You didn’t have to—what did she say?”

Han hunched forward. “How many parents like finding that out? Especially when I talked back to her about duty<”

“I don’t think I’ve told my aunt about that yet,” Khai admitted. “With the gender thing and all...”

“About that...”

Khai stiffened. “Yes?”

Han turned and looked at him directly. “It matters, in that it’s part of you. But I’d still follow you. You’re still Khai.” His cheeks went red, eyes darting away. “So, my fantasies of you might look a little different, but it’s still you.”

The air in the room was suddenly very hot—or was that just Khai’s ears? Han’s magic responded, building up steady and solid.

A fight, that, Khai could do. He pushed Han down on the couch until he sprawled out, and leaned over him, knees between Han’s legs. “It changes a lot of things, doesn’t it?”

Han licked his lips. His legs shifted, bracketing Khai’s hips. “But we’re mages, aren’t we? Can’t we...you know...make things?”

The sheer idea of it made Khai grin. “You’re not feeling jealous about Song, are you?”

“...Why are you mentioning him right now?” Han pouted. The image was so comical—Khai just had to bend down to kiss those lips. Slow heat moved between them.

“Better?”

Han panted. “Are fire mages always so hot?”

“You’re playing with lava, Han.”

“Good thing you’re going to teach me how, right?”

Khai gave him a fond smile. “Yes, I am.”

The End