End of the Year

“Thank goodness this year is nearly over…” Elkay sighed as he watched the sun set in the distance. By his side was his partner Teekay, rubbing his eyes from just how bright everything was. While Teekay had absolutely loved living on Portalia, enjoying the life he had missed out on in his youth, the bright sky and brighter sun were something he was still not quite used to.

“I swear I thought you were going to say “thank fuck” because this year has been… all over the place…” Teekay muttered. “I mean, it’s been pretty alright for me, aside from my house being burnt down twice. I got to meet the deity I worshiped, I got out of religion, I retired peacefully with a nice pension, I got myself a really nice boyfriend who treats me like the good little Skyan I am…”

Elkay eyed Teekay awkwardly, then sighed, turning around and heading back inside. The little balcony on their apartment was nice, but the wind was picking up and it was getting chilly.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Was it that last sentence?”

“It still catches me off guard. I do not know why. Maybe it is the massive age difference…”

Teekay shrugged. “You’re middle-age. I’m middle-age. Just seems weird because I’m a Skyan and you’re a form-changing adapt-a-Rethan. But we’re both genuinely happier now, yes?”

“Mostly…” Elkay sighed again. “I feel like I have lost… so much… My connections, my sanity… my own damn species… I ruled over a billion Rethavok, bringing them into a modern era, and now the only ruling I do is…” Elkay paused, then smiled slightly. “Now all I do is rule you in bed.”

“At least it’s more hands-on…” Teekay joked, following Elkay inside, closing the patio door behind him before throwing himself onto the cushion pile in the middle of the room. “I’ll be blunt, I did… forget who you were… I did my mourning for the great High General Elkay Theanon the same time everyone else did, when you saved a city filled with Vrekans from the claws of a mad serpent. Cost you your power, but by the Void did you go out with a bang. And, after the dust settled, you got some awesome super powers out of it. All I got was a deal with the Thantophor that I get to live longer, while you got a very strange version of the same powers the Raptor has.”

“You are absolutely correct…” Elkay admitted, joining Teekay on the cushion pile. “There have been ups and downs. Very, very steep and sudden ones.”

“We made it out in one piece though…” Teekay snuggled up to his partner. “And we have some great things to look forward to…”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. But something good is bound to happen.”

“Again, like what?”

Teekay shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe we’ll be able to afford a super fancy holiday. Or maybe we’ll make some new friends, vok who are accepting of who we are. Maybe I’ll lose some weight. Maybe we’ll get married and adopt a kid or something.”

“Those all sound nice except for that last one…” Elkay tutted. “I do not want kids.”

“Why?”

“I am a mess of a being. I do not want to pass that down to anyone else.”

Teekay shrugged some more, cuddling up in Elkay’s arms. “That’s fine. We can still get married though, right?”

“Oh, of course. We just need to find someone willing to marry us.”

Elkay calmed down, holding Teekay tightly. The two partners fell silent, staring happily out of the window.

“I hope next year is better though…” Elkay finally sighed. “I do not want a repeat of this year…”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure next year will be great…” Teekay smiled reassuringly. “At the very least, we’ll start off the year with a good bang…”