Hope

Pale yellow light slanted across the cold sand, and caught in the russet waves just in front of him, turning them stained-glass scarlet, shimmering gold. Dimitri rested his head on Sylvain’s shoulder and murmured, “It was always you, you know.”

Sylvain startled, more surprised than Dimitri thought he should have been, and turned in his arms. The kiss he’d meant to press to Sylvain’s temple ended up on his eyelid, and they both laughed.

Sylvain surprised him, then, by burying his face in Dimitri’s shoulder. “Really, huh?” The muffled comment made Sylvain’s lips tickle against Dimitri’s neck.

“Yes, beloved, really.” The faintest hint of a smile warmed Dimitri’s words.

Sylvain’s fists tightened in Dimitri’s sweater the way they had sometimes when they were young, and he smoothed a gentle hand over Sylvain’s back. What a tender and precious thing, he thought, to be wanted.

Soundtrack