Jacques shivered in the cold, dark room. He didn't know if he'd ever get used to the Budahec winter. Not that there was a reason to... Once the war was over, his contract would end and he'd be--
No. Not going to think about that.
It was more than chilly, but he'd purposely let the fire die more than an hour ago, giving the room ample time to freeze inside out. He was lying naked under no more than a sheet, in hopeful anticipation that tonight...he would come to him. He would bear the cold for as long as he must, if only to feel the warmth of that particular man's body curled against him for just a few hours.
He'd sat up as long as he could, his legs tucked under him in a chair as he turned the pages of a book, too distracted to really read. He had to kill time some way... But finally it grew too cold in the room to sit next to the frosted window any longer, and Jacques had slipped into the bed, tossing the heavy, warm blankets to the floor with only mild reluctance. If he came...it would be worth this tortuous wait. It always was, but not often or for long enough.
Jacques had been lying in bed for perhaps a quarter of an hour when he heard the knob turn, and faint light from the hallway spilled into the room, quickly cut off again by the consideration of his thoughtful lover; Geddoe hadn't wanted to awaken him.
The bowman couldn't fight back the smile that touched his mouth. He listened to Geddoe moving around behind him, undressing. He shivered at the sudden change in his own body temperature, knowing that in just a moment or so, he'd have that blessed warmth added to his cold bed.
Geddoe finally slipped between the sheets, hissing at the crisp cold of the linen. Jacques listened to him blowing warmth between his hands. Then Geddoe pressed against his back with his strong, bare chest.
Jacques let out a sound that was almost a purr, leaning his head back against Geddoe's shoulder. He was rewarded with a delicate kiss just below his ear. He sighed in contentment.
"You kicked your blankets off again," Geddoe accused. "Aren't you freezing?"
"Not anymore," Jacques murmured adoringly. He knew that sometimes he embarrassed Geddoe, but they both enjoyed that more than was ever admitted. Jacques knew he'd amused his lover again when he felt Ged's lips smiling against the back of his neck.
Geddoe pulled away, laying across Jacques as he leaned over his side of the bed to retrieve the tossed-aside covers. "Well, I'm still cold."
"Not for too much longer," Jacques promised.
Geddoe ignored the comment for the moment, covering the two of them up, then snuggling back down with Jacques now facing him, cradling the slight body against his chest. The blonde placed a few light kisses along the bared chest of his captain, inviting an encouraging response. And he got it.
The dark-haired captain hugged Jacques even closer to him, entwining their legs and letting one hand roam the length of the young man's lean thigh.
"I missed you," Jacques muttered against his lover's sweet skin.
Geddoe laughed lightly. "I saw you not two hours ago in the tavern."
"It's been four hours at least!" Jacques retorted, squeezing Geddoe's waist to pull himself closer than ever.
The captain wasn't so sure about the timing, but he was pleased that Jacques had missed him that much. "So you're glad I came tonight?"
"I'm glad every time you come. I wish you'd come to me every night."
"...You know I shouldn't do that."
"Is that because you're a leader, or you're ashamed of me?"
Geddoe was shocked into an uncomfortable silence. He could deny the two statements adamantly, but how could he contest something like that? If he had a proper excuse, it might help... He didn't quite understand his own reasoning, so how could he explain it to someone else, even the love of his life?
"...Jacques... I hope you don't think I'm ashamed of you. How could you? How could you say something like that to me?"
He already wished he'd held his tongue. And now he had to bite his lip for a moment to keep it from trembling. When he thought he'd found his voice, Jacques replied, "That was the only thing I could think of...the only reason why you wouldn't stay with me more often, why you won't stay all night with me. Unless...you just really don't want to..."
"I want--" Geddoe began, then broke off. He knew what he wanted--he always had. But he'd never been asked directly what he wanted, and he wasn't sure how to answer the question.
"You," he said at last. "I want you, Jacques."
Jacques sobbed aloud, pressing one tear-stained cheek against Ged's shoulder and clinging.
"...Did I say something wrong?" Geddoe asked in bewilderment.
"No!" Jacques wept, smiling through happy tears. "You said something right. Ged...will you say it again?"
Geddoe smiled for a moment before whispering the words. Then he pressed his lips softly to his lover's, and they slept the whole night through, together, and the captain didn't leave until dawn had come and gone, and Jacques complained that he wanted his breakfast.
No. Not going to think about that.
It was more than chilly, but he'd purposely let the fire die more than an hour ago, giving the room ample time to freeze inside out. He was lying naked under no more than a sheet, in hopeful anticipation that tonight...he would come to him. He would bear the cold for as long as he must, if only to feel the warmth of that particular man's body curled against him for just a few hours.
He'd sat up as long as he could, his legs tucked under him in a chair as he turned the pages of a book, too distracted to really read. He had to kill time some way... But finally it grew too cold in the room to sit next to the frosted window any longer, and Jacques had slipped into the bed, tossing the heavy, warm blankets to the floor with only mild reluctance. If he came...it would be worth this tortuous wait. It always was, but not often or for long enough.
Jacques had been lying in bed for perhaps a quarter of an hour when he heard the knob turn, and faint light from the hallway spilled into the room, quickly cut off again by the consideration of his thoughtful lover; Geddoe hadn't wanted to awaken him.
The bowman couldn't fight back the smile that touched his mouth. He listened to Geddoe moving around behind him, undressing. He shivered at the sudden change in his own body temperature, knowing that in just a moment or so, he'd have that blessed warmth added to his cold bed.
Geddoe finally slipped between the sheets, hissing at the crisp cold of the linen. Jacques listened to him blowing warmth between his hands. Then Geddoe pressed against his back with his strong, bare chest.
Jacques let out a sound that was almost a purr, leaning his head back against Geddoe's shoulder. He was rewarded with a delicate kiss just below his ear. He sighed in contentment.
"You kicked your blankets off again," Geddoe accused. "Aren't you freezing?"
"Not anymore," Jacques murmured adoringly. He knew that sometimes he embarrassed Geddoe, but they both enjoyed that more than was ever admitted. Jacques knew he'd amused his lover again when he felt Ged's lips smiling against the back of his neck.
Geddoe pulled away, laying across Jacques as he leaned over his side of the bed to retrieve the tossed-aside covers. "Well, I'm still cold."
"Not for too much longer," Jacques promised.
Geddoe ignored the comment for the moment, covering the two of them up, then snuggling back down with Jacques now facing him, cradling the slight body against his chest. The blonde placed a few light kisses along the bared chest of his captain, inviting an encouraging response. And he got it.
The dark-haired captain hugged Jacques even closer to him, entwining their legs and letting one hand roam the length of the young man's lean thigh.
"I missed you," Jacques muttered against his lover's sweet skin.
Geddoe laughed lightly. "I saw you not two hours ago in the tavern."
"It's been four hours at least!" Jacques retorted, squeezing Geddoe's waist to pull himself closer than ever.
The captain wasn't so sure about the timing, but he was pleased that Jacques had missed him that much. "So you're glad I came tonight?"
"I'm glad every time you come. I wish you'd come to me every night."
"...You know I shouldn't do that."
"Is that because you're a leader, or you're ashamed of me?"
Geddoe was shocked into an uncomfortable silence. He could deny the two statements adamantly, but how could he contest something like that? If he had a proper excuse, it might help... He didn't quite understand his own reasoning, so how could he explain it to someone else, even the love of his life?
"...Jacques... I hope you don't think I'm ashamed of you. How could you? How could you say something like that to me?"
He already wished he'd held his tongue. And now he had to bite his lip for a moment to keep it from trembling. When he thought he'd found his voice, Jacques replied, "That was the only thing I could think of...the only reason why you wouldn't stay with me more often, why you won't stay all night with me. Unless...you just really don't want to..."
"I want--" Geddoe began, then broke off. He knew what he wanted--he always had. But he'd never been asked directly what he wanted, and he wasn't sure how to answer the question.
"You," he said at last. "I want you, Jacques."
Jacques sobbed aloud, pressing one tear-stained cheek against Ged's shoulder and clinging.
"...Did I say something wrong?" Geddoe asked in bewilderment.
"No!" Jacques wept, smiling through happy tears. "You said something right. Ged...will you say it again?"
Geddoe smiled for a moment before whispering the words. Then he pressed his lips softly to his lover's, and they slept the whole night through, together, and the captain didn't leave until dawn had come and gone, and Jacques complained that he wanted his breakfast.