Pili cradled his face and placed another gentle kiss to Pangi’s cheek and Pangi fell oh so willingly into Pili's hold again returning the gesture with a kiss to his jaw.
“Please don’t do this to me again, don’t give me hope” Pangi whispered quietly into his fur.
“I’m not giving you hope. I do not love you”
“I know, but you’re being affectionate, even though I know you don’t mean it”
“I am giving you closure, this is what you want right?”
“Not like this, not when you don’t mean it.”
“You still blush when I kiss you. You kiss back”
“I don’t want this version of you. I want the version of you that would stay”
“There is no version of me that would stay.”
“I know”
Pili kissed him again and Pangi leaned in chasing the memory of a person who no longer existed, frowning when Pili pulled away. This time instead of staying in the warm embrace of Pangi’s arms Pili pulled away and stood up.
“I need to go”
“Will you come back?”
“No.” and Pangi thinks it would have hurt less if he was surprised.
