Nameless, faceless, voiceless... heartless?

7 How long have you been standing here?

He had not yet returned.

Kongpob had not yet returned.

Arthit could think of nothing else. He spent countless hours alone at the top of Ayutthaya's highest tower, scanning the horizon for approaching boats. He didn't like to be kept waiting

It was a simple novice mission. Kongpob was too skilled not to meet the deadline. He was supposed to be back two days ago, but he still wasn't there. If someone dared to ask him, he would deny everything, but truth be told, anxiety was eating him up. He would go to bed, but his anxiety wouldn't let him sleep more than a few hours. The image of his missing corpse haunted his nightmares.

Not everyone passed the initiation, and Kongpob hadn't grown up there, hadn't spent his whole life training to kill. He was not born an Assassin; he wasn't like him. But the younger man wasn't even an ordinary human. He had to come back.

Kongpob returned, but only after another three days. He was welcomed by everyone, everyone except him. He was relieved to see him, but he was late. Arthit knew he should not be offended by his tardiness but somehow he was. He had been awfully worried for five long days.

If Kongpob wanted his attention, he had to seek it.

And Kongpob came to him, but only in the evening.

Freshly bathed, Kongpob smelled of soap and perfumed ointments. The scent filled his nostrils.

Arthit would have liked to taste fragrance directly from his skin, but he did not dare to move from the balcony of his room. He didn't move, even if Kongpob was a few steps behind him, even if he would get rid of his clothes at a sign from him.

His heart quickened in his chest, he clenched his fists at his sides to keep from moving a muscle, from pulling him into his arms.

He looked away from the boy and then pointed it back on the horizon.

The evening sky was aglow with orange puffs of cloud. When the setting sun hit them, they turned into what looked like a bush fire in the sky. As the sun slowly disappeared, the orange fire slowly turned into a golden glow and then faded into shades of apricot and mango before disappearing behind Ayutthaya's high towers. He had seen some spectacular coloured sunsets before but this one, for reasons unknown to him, had really touched his emotions and almost made him cry. Not because he was happy to see Kong but because he was... happy to see him.

"Thank you for showing so much interest in my return..." The novice said sarcastically.

Arthit turned only to look into his eyes, with a silent anger hidden in his dark irises.

Receiving no verbal response, Kongpob sighed. "How long have you been standing there?"

"How long did you think it would take you?" He snapped. "The mission wasn't supposed to last more than ten days... you came back after two weeks, Kongpob. Two weeks!" He gritted the words out between clenched teeth.

It wasn't only anger he saw behind in the older man's eyes, there was something else, something that brought a lump to his throat. There was sadness... and fear - the kind of fear he had felt when Arthit's group was ambushed. Many of the Assassin's group were killed and Kongpob didn't know what had happened to him.

Gradually, his gaze softened. "You were worried..."

Arthit was the cutest Reaper ever. He suddenly smiled sweetly.

"You know, many times I thought I wouldn't make it..." He said, taking the other's hand in his own.

If it was possible, the Reaper's eyes hardened even more. "You-!"