It was Aidan's idea. Getting away from Boston, from Marcus especially, because Aidan and Marcus couldn't stand each other. That amused Bishop, and was why he kept them both around and close to each other.

He didn't directly mention Jane but Bishop could hear it in the way he tried to talk him into the vacation.

"Come on, Boston can live without its new king for a week, can't it?" Aidan had turned his most pleading eyes on him. "If Marcus is as competent as you say then everything will still be standing when we come back."

And of course he had given in because ultimately he had never been able to say no to Aidan, especially not when he got something in return from him.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Aidan asked as soon as he had stepped inside and brushed the snow from his hair.

"This is a shack in the middle of nowhere." Bishop pointed out dryly.

"I know. It's great." Aidan grinned enthusiastically.

"I had hoped our vacation would provide a bit more...distraction."

"That's what I'm here for." Aidan's grin turned decidedly more lecherous and he took a couple steps towards Bishop. "I haven't had that much of you lately with taking over the clan and Marcus sniffing around." The tone of disgust in Aidan's voice when he mentioned Marcus amused Bishop.

"I like how you take charge." He caressed Bishop's hair, tilting his head to whisper against his lips, "I want to show you how that makes me feel but without any distractions...or interruptions."

He kissed Bishop, putting his arm around his waist to pull him closer. It was a soft kiss, all tongue and lips without a hint of teeth and it reminded Bishop of how Aidan had kissed him back then when he had still been human.

"Is that what you wanted?" Bishop asked, amusement colouring his voice when they lay tangled up in their clothes and each other quite a while later.

"I want everything." Aidan replied, tracing Bishop's lips with his thumb, which Bishop bit into softly. Aidan took his face in his hands and pulled him closer until they were kissing again, until Bishop was right on top of Aidan, skin to skin.

Bishop broke the kiss and looked into Aidan's eyes and there it was: that look. No one had ever looked at him like that before: as if Aidan burned with the fierce, overwhelming desire to keep him whatever the cost.

He buried his face between Aidan's shoulder and neck, unable to stand that look for a longer time because there was a nagging voice at the back of his head that told him that he looked at Aidan the same way and if the Dutch would ever find out...He shivered at the thought.

"Are you cold?" Aidan asked, mistaking the shiver for something else. "We should get some firewood inside."

"You could help, you know?" Aidan said while chopping firewood. That he wore a ridiculously loose shirt for that which showed more than it covered wasn't going to convince Bishop that stopping to watch Aidan was a worthy plan.

"You dragged me out here, so..." Bishop shrugged and gestured vaguely into the direction of the firewood that still needed to be chopped.

"I'm going to hear that all week, aren't I?" Aidan asked dryly.

"Probably, " Bishop answered honestly. He walked a few steps away, taking in the landscape around them. The snow literally reached the horizon without a single evidence of civilisation anywhere. It was pretty in a-.

A snowball hit him in the back of his neck and some of it trickled down his collar. Aidan shrugged helplessly as if to say "I couldn't help myself."

"That was your last mistake." Bishop threatened him with a grin, and the next moment they were both pelting each other with snowballs, running and laughing as if nothing else mattered.

"Told you so," Bishop said when he finally managed to pin Aidan underneath him into the snow.

"Who said I didn't want you to catch me?" Aidan deliberately licked his lips.

"And, did you?"

"Seems like I can't get enough of you."

"Did you bring something to drink as well?" Bishop asked. He traced invisible lines on Aidan's arm, who was lying against his chest. For such a small house the bath was ridiculously large and luxurious and after their outdoor activities they both needed to warm up a bit.

"A couple blood bags in the freezer. I thought we could do a week without," Aidan answered honestly but he tilted his head, resting it against Bishop's shoulder and exposed his neckline.

"Can I?" he asked, tracing Aidan's vein. Others would have simply taken but Bishop wouldn't take Aidan by force anymore than he would lie to him. Omitting some truths, yes, but not lying, never lying.

"Of course," Aidan sounded as if he was surprised that Bishop thought he had to ask. He sank his fangs into Aidan's neck, relishing in the way Aidan gasped and melted against him.

In some ways this was superior to sex in every way; more direct, more intimate.

"So, what do you think of this now?" Aidan asked later that night. His skin was warm from the bath, still slightly flushed, too.

"I'm curious why we went to Canada for this. There are plenty abandoned shacks around Boston."

"I wanted to go somewhere where we've never been before. New memories just for us, some we don't have to share with anyone else." Aidan looked so honest that Bishop had to kiss him for that. He might not have completely forgiven Aidan for Jane but in the end Aidan would always come first. Bishop didn't necessarily like that but he had made his peace with it some time ago.

In the middle of the night when Aidan thought he was asleep, he whispered to Bishop, confessing what he did not dare to say to him directly.

"I'm sorry about Jane but I would betray you a thousand more times if it would mean I could keep you." Aidan whispered and kissed his shoulder blade. Bishop didn't let his heart betray him. This was the closest to an apology he was likely to get.

Now he actually looked forward to the next week.