In the middle of the night, Krebs woke to the feeling of someone stroking his hair. When he opened his eyes, Burgdorf was looking down at him. When did he get back?

"So I woke you, didn't I." His hands stopped, leaving his hair with one final stroke of his fingers. Looking closer, it seemed as if he had only just returned, as he had yet to change into his bedclothes.

"I'm sorry," Krebs murmured. "I just thought I would sleep a little … I didn't mean to miss you coming back." Still a little sleepy, Krebs put his hand on the floor to ease himself from the bedding. But, Burgdorf embraced him, not even bothering to change first. He moved him aside, getting into bed next to him.

"Burgdorf?" Krebs asked.

Burgdorf did not answer him, save for embracing him more tightly. I'm sure he must be tired … it's been a long day. Or, maybe … Suddenly, Krebs remembered seeing Günsche looking up at the moon from the garden, though it was just his profile. "Did something happen between you and Güns-"

The moment Krebs started to say his name, Burgdorf was up like a shot. He kissed him fiercely, as if to steal the words out of his mouth, to show his lack of forgiveness for so much as another word.

Sleepy, Krebs closed his eyes as Burgdorf pulled away, and drifted off into a slumber.

The next morning, Burgdorf was not in bed. Krebs opened his eyes to the lack of his heart, and shuddered. He scrambled to his feet, and searched for him. Finally, he did. Burgdorf was looking over the city in a window, his blue eyes narrowed.

"Good morning." Burgdorf turned when Krebs called him, looking over at him over one shoulder.

"Oh, so you're up."

"I'm sorry, I slept in," Krebs apologized.

"Don't worry about that. We have nothing to do today anyways," Burgdorf said. "Or … more correctly, this is the day I will be spending alone with you."

"Wha … really? Oh, Burgdorf!" Though his indescribable joy took him for a moment, it was soon replaced by anxiety. Is this really all right for him? He's been really busy lately. Even if it wasn't, now that he thought about it, one of the generals would've surely come to fetch him by now if he hadn't anything. Well, yesterday was our wedding … it's entirely possible he declared today a holiday or something, knowing him … "So, you're really going to be right here with me, all day?"

"Yeah," Burgdorf replied.

"I'm so happy!" Krebs exclaimed. "How shall we spend our day? Are we going out somewhere?"

"About that … I actually have something I wish to ask of you."

After Krebs helped Burgdorf dress, Burgdorf took him down to the river.

I can't believe he actually wants me to teach him how to fish … With the fishing rods in his hand, Krebs sat at the riverbank. "By the way, Burgdorf, have you like … done anything with fish before? Like, eat them or anything?"

"No," Burgdorf replied, his eyes a copy of the river's rippling color.

Thank God. "I'll just warn you … it's not the easiest thing to do."

"I desire nothing less. I've always been interested."

Burgdorf's resolve in place, Krebs started to teach him how to fish. However, since the process took some time, Krebs decided to go for an easy one.

"Oh, you have the move the rod! Faster!"

"Just wait," Burgdorf complained, "even if you tell me to move it faster, it's not as easy as it looks."

"If you don't keep it moving, you'll never be able to get it in the right spot," Krebs informed him. Krebs continued to talk him through it, and Burgdorf gave his best effort. Soon, he was able to steady it and get it in a tight position. Krebs smiled as he saw Burgdorf working hard. He had been enduring horrible things for some time, beginning with the failed suppression of the early uprisings, culminating with everything surrounding the destruction of the cathedral, but that was no surprise. I'd love it if our days were like this from now on …

In the evening, they had decided to give it a break to relax. Burgdorf sat near the riverbank, listening to the water as it went by.

"... I missed a lot of easy catches, didn't I." Burgdorf's voice was resigned as he put his hand in the water and waved it.

"No one is good at it their first time," Krebs reassured him. "My first time was a total disaster, too, I'll have you know."

"Yeah, I guess it was. You're right." Burgdorf glanced back at the river. "The losses of those who became before you are the paving stones to a new age. Perhaps this is what will make this land prosper." His gaze turned distant.

"Not skipping stones today?" Krebs asked.

"No," Burgdorf replied. "I don't need them today."

"And here I thought you just sat down to make up from failing to fish," Krebs chuckled.

"You really think I'd give up for something like that?" Burgdorf asked.

Krebs shut his eyes, remembering everything Burgdorf has sacrificed. "You've always been a kind man …"

Burgdorf paused. "You are the only person who would ever call me a kind man." He chuckled, a shy blush on his cheeks. Surely, he was only refusing to admit it to distract him from that blush, even now. But, Krebs just gave him a small smile in return. He moved closer to him, and looked out at the sun as it started to set over the mountains.

Just as the sky began to turn dark, Burgdorf murmured under his breath. "Now is the time of May, when we shall rule the world …" He got to his feet. "We're going home." When he looked back at Krebs over his shoulder, the face returned to that Krebs had always seen, the face of General Burgdorf.

Wait … that poem … Günsche wrote that, didn't he? Maybe it's been getting around, somehow? Though something about it bothered him, Krebs put it aside to catch up with Burgdorf, who was already well ahead of him.

"I'll keep showing you how to fish whenever you have time, okay?" Krebs said, casually.

Burgdorf stopped. "Sure." His smile lasted a little more than a moment, but it was more than enough to make Krebs' heart ache. "However, I am a busy man. If I am not near you … teach Günsche."

"But, teaching him how to wouldn't do anything for …"

"No … I'm sure he'll find some way to make it work for me. After all, I'm only where I am now because he's always let me get away with far too much." Leaving his words behind him, words that sounded like a confession, Burgdorf climbed the stone stairs back into town. Burgdorf?

As he watched him, the determination clear in his broad shoulders gripped his heart with a very distinct sense of unease.