Chapter 1: The Sky Fell That Night

It had been an ordinary evening, the kind where the air was still, and the stars blinked softly against the darkened sky. Rhys stood on his balcony, his eyes tracing constellations, seeking the comfort of the heavens. It had been years since he last felt at peace. Ever since Elias, the love of his life, had passed away in that tragic accident, Rhys’s heart had been hollow, like a star losing its light.

He sighed, closing his eyes and letting the cold wind brush his face. The pain of losing Elias was sharp even now, but the stars were his only solace. They reminded him of the nights they spent together, lying on the grass, talking about everything and nothing.

That night, something changed. A streak of light, a burning meteor, crossed the sky faster than his eyes could track. It grew larger, its light more intense as it descended, not far from where Rhys stood. Before he could react, a shockwave hit him, and a blinding light enveloped the landscape. The impact was deafening, sending him stumbling backward.

When he opened his eyes, the world had changed.

A massive crater had formed in the nearby field, and within it lay a glowing, otherworldly mass, pulsating faintly. Rhys, against all sense, felt drawn to it. Something in his heart pulled him forward. He found himself running down the hill toward the site, a sense of urgency washing over him.

As he approached the crater, the mass began to shift. It was as if it was alive, almost breathing. Before Rhys could take another step, a tendril of light extended from the mass and wrapped around his head. It was neither painful nor frightening—just a strange warmth that flooded his mind.

Memories surged—his memories. But mixed within them were flashes of Elias: his laughter, his smile, the feel of his touch. Rhys gasped, stumbling backward, his heart racing. This… this wasn’t just the mass mimicking Elias. Somehow, it was Elias, or at least, a part of him.

Suddenly, the mass began to take form, rising from the ground in front of Rhys. Slowly, it shaped itself into a man. Rhys’s breath caught in his throat as the figure became more defined, more familiar. The broad shoulders, the strong jawline, the softness of his eyes. It was Elias.

“Elias?” Rhys whispered, his voice trembling.

The man—Elias—opened his eyes. They were just as Rhys remembered, deep and full of warmth. He took a hesitant step forward, and so did Elias. When their hands touched, it felt real, solid.

“Rhys…” Elias’s voice was soft, but it carried all the weight of the memories they had shared.

“How… how is this possible?” Rhys asked, his mind spinning.

“I don’t know,” Elias replied, his brows furrowing as if he, too, was struggling to understand. “I remember falling… and then being pulled into the sky, and everything went dark. But now I’m here.”

Tears welled in Rhys’s eyes. He wanted to believe it, but a part of him was terrified. Could it really be him? Or was this just some cosmic trick?

“I’m real, Rhys,” Elias said, his voice barely more than a whisper. “I know what we had, and I know how we lost it. But I’m here. With you.”

Rhys’s heart ached as he looked into those eyes—the eyes he thought he’d never see again. Slowly, cautiously, he pulled Elias into an embrace. As their bodies touched, everything felt right. It wasn’t a dream or a trick. It was Elias—his love, his heart. Somehow, the stars had returned him.

Chapter 2: The Stardust Bond

The days that followed were like a whirlwind for Rhys. Elias, though made from the cosmic mass that fell from space, possessed not only his memories but his mannerisms, his quirks, his very soul. It was as if Elias had been reborn, pulled from the vastness of the universe and given back to him.

But there was something more. Sometimes, when Elias touched him, Rhys could feel flashes of the cosmos—the cold, infinite void of space and the burning heat of stars. The mass that had created Elias wasn’t just something otherworldly; it was alive, ancient, and mysterious. It had taken Elias’s form, but Rhys knew it was also something else.

“Do you feel different?” Rhys asked one evening, as they sat together under the stars again, like they used to.

Elias nodded, looking up at the sky. “I feel… like I belong here, but also, like I’m part of something far greater. There are moments where I remember things that aren’t mine. Strange stars, distant worlds.”

Rhys’s hand found Elias’s, squeezing it gently. “Do you regret coming back?”

Elias looked at him, his gaze softening. “No. Even if I’m part of something cosmic, even if I don’t fully understand it—I’m here. With you. That’s all that matters.”

But Rhys could sense something deeper in Elias, something hidden. The mass had returned his lover, but at what cost? And what did it want in return?

Chapter 3: The Cosmic Call

As the weeks went by, Elias began to change. His connection to the cosmic mass became more pronounced. At times, his body would shimmer with stardust, his eyes reflecting the endless galaxy. Rhys knew something was coming, but he didn’t want to acknowledge it.

One night, as they lay together under the stars once more, Elias spoke softly.

“Rhys… I think I’m being called back.”

Rhys’s heart froze. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t belong here—not fully. Whatever brought me back, it’s part of something larger than us. And it’s calling me home.”

Tears welled in Rhys’s eyes as he shook his head. “No. I can’t lose you again. Not after everything.”

Elias cupped Rhys’s face, brushing away his tears. “You’ll never lose me. I’ll always be with you. In your heart, in the stars. I’m part of the universe now, but a piece of me will always belong to you.”

As the light of dawn broke over the horizon, Elias began to fade. His body shimmered with stardust, dissolving into the air. And in the soft glow of the morning sun, he was gone—leaving only the memories of their love and the stardust that sparkled in Rhys’s tears.

But Rhys knew, as he looked up at the sky, that Elias was never truly gone. Their love, like the stars, would last forever.