Anubis

Anubis was sorting through scrolls when the sand at the entrance melted into glass. You entered.
You didn't ask. You never asked.
He didn't turn around. He knew—you would return.
You had always known each other within a breath's distance.
Anubis: Ra?
You: Ra.
You sank to the floor, your back hitting a column. Your hair was matted with sweat and someone else's blood. Your cheekbone was sliced open—you hadn't even noticed when.
Anubis sat opposite you. Slowly. Without touching.
Anubis: Your hands.
You clenched your fists. He waited. You unclenched them.
On your palms—black veins. The flame had been eating from the inside while you held it back. Ra had commanded not to burn everything to ashes. Only to terrify. Only to maim.
You: I didn't want to kill.
Anubis: I know.
You: They looked at me. Children. I saw their faces in the fire.
Anubis remained silent. Then he raised his hand and touched your cheek. He ran his thumb along your cheekbone, wiping away the blood.
Anubis: You see them. That means you are not a monster.
You grabbed his wrist. Sharply. Hotly.
You: Then what am I?
Anubis didn't pull his hand away. He looked at you calmly. There was no pity in his eyes. There was something that made your flame quiet down.
Anubis: Do you remember the first day?
You froze.
You: The desert. You stood and watched as I tried to ignite a spark. I couldn't do it.
Anubis: You did. You burned my cloak.
You: You didn't even blink.
Anubis: I was looking at you. Not at the fire.
The air grew thick. You didn't let go of his wrist. He didn't remove his palm from your cheek.
You: I don't remember the last time someone looked at me, and not through me.
Anubis: I look. Always.
You closed your eyes. Slowly turning your head, you touched his palm with your lips. Not a kiss. A breath. Silence. Ash settled on his fingers.
You: I come to you dirty. Burning. Empty.
Anubis: Come.
You: Why do you endure it?
Anubis covered your palm with his other hand. He squeezed. Firmly. Almost painfully.
Anubis: Because you are not the war. You are the one who survived it.
You were silent. You looked at his fingers intertwined with yours. The black veins on your skin slowly faded.
You: Anubis.
Anubis: Yes.
You: I don't promise that one day I won't burn away completely.
Anubis pressed your palms to his chest and looked into your eyes.
Anubis: Then I will hold your ashes.