Gravity (Male x Male)

Chapter 14 - The Distraction

I'd been sitting alone on the space craft for about half an hour, and still didn't feel like moving.

Keleon had docked the craft, and had asked whether I needed anything, but I'd just shaken my head and asked to be left alone for a bit. He had obliged and disappeared from the ship, leaving me on my own to think. I hadn't come to any conclusions about anything, though. I'd tried sifting through the information, the emotions, the heartbreak, the internal conflict ... but none of it was helping. I concluded that, although I didn't feel like moving, maybe a walk would help.

As I exited the craft, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the glass of the window. My hair was a mess and my eyes were red-rimmed. Normally I would have tried to do something to make myself look a bit more presentable, but not today.

I didn't really have a destination in mind as I walked mindlessly through the hanger.

"Damon!" I heard Mia's voice and looked round for her. 

She was smiling down from the top of another space craft, with her hair tied back in a messy ginger bun and work overalls covered with oil and grease, with one hand in the air as a greeting. My feet switched direction and started taking me towards her before my brain had caught up with what I was doing. She climbed down her ladder to meet me.

"Hi," she said cheerfully. She must have then registered my tear-stained face, red eyes and unkempt hair, as her smile faded and was replaced by a look of concern. "Are you OK?"

"He's not human," was what tumbled out.

I hadn't intended to talk to her about it, but apparently, that's what I was doing.

"Shit," replied Mia, comprehension appearing in her features. "You didn't know."

It wasn't a question, but I shook my head anyway as I sat on a nearby storage box with my head in my hands. Mia came and sat right next to me. Liquid filled my eyes again. I willed the tears to stop, to no avail, and they fell onto the floor.

"I just assumed you'd had that conversation." she admitted, taking a deep breath. "I guess Keleon thought that information ..."

"Wasn't relevant ..." I finished for her.

We both knew that was what she was going to say.

"And is it?" she asked gently. "Relevant, I mean? You're saying you can't date someone who's not human?"

"I didn't even consider it until a couple of hours ago," I replied honestly. "I just thought he was a bit of an oddball, you know? But he's not who I thought he was, and that hurts so much."

My stomach tightened as I remembered the Kikorangi girl morphing into Keleon in front of me.

"Can you tell me about who you thought he was?" Mia asked. "Aside from his appearance, I mean?" she added, smiling a little.

I thought about the interactions we'd had.

"Well, um, he was very caring. He's made me feel looked after lots of times. He listened when I was upset about him kissing you. He taught me how to fly the craft, and honestly, that was one of the best experiences of my life. We played chess together and it was a lot of fun. He taught me about different types of stars. I even liked his quirks."

"Well, there's nothing you've said there that isn't Keleon," she pointed out. "He can still do all those things without being human."

I knew she had a point, but I was still struggling with it. I decided it was probably because of the feelings of deception. Nobody had intended to deceive me, I was sure, but it didn't stop me feeling like my relationship was a sham. I recognised I was partly angry with myself. I'd assumed too much along the way, only seen what I wanted to see, and not asked enough questions.