13 Days of Cliff-mas 10/13
My pet died, so I’m not in a super extensive writing mood today…
Ice
Cliff watched with a frown as Albel stooped at the side of his father’s grave, standing silent vigil in the biting, dark night. The cold did not seem to bother the young man. He had been standing in the cemetery for over an hour, staring at the wreath that he had placed lovingly on the headstone. The holidays had never summoned such a welling of sadness in Albel as it did that year, as he celebrated it with Cliff. But before that year, he had never really celebrated with anyone since his father had died.
When the wind began to pick up, cutting into his exposed flesh, Cliff decided enough was enough. He approached his young lover and grabbed the captain’s arm. He almost recoiled at how cold Albel’s flesh was to the touch.
“We need to go home, before we freeze.” The man said.
When Albel did not respond, Cliff moved so that he stood in front of the captain. Looking carefully at the young man’s face, Cliff was surprised to see ice had formed on Albel’s cheeks. For a moment, he puzzled over how the ice had gotten there. Then he realized that Albel must have been crying. His tears had frozen.
“Come on, ‘Bel. We need to go home.” Cliff repeated, wrapping an arm around Albel’s shoulders and then guiding him home.
`````
As soon as they got home, Cliff plopped Albel down in front of the fire and then wrapped his arms around the young man. Albel did not respond to the contact, merely gazed into the fire impassively, eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
Cliff frowned at the vacant expression, then leaned over and kissed one of the teardrops that had frozen on Albel’s face. At last, Albel perked up and he looked at his lover incredulously, as if that had been one of the most foolish things he had seen Cliff do. Cliff ignored the look, moving in to kiss another ice particle away and warm Albel’s cheek.
~END
Ice
Cliff watched with a frown as Albel stooped at the side of his father’s grave, standing silent vigil in the biting, dark night. The cold did not seem to bother the young man. He had been standing in the cemetery for over an hour, staring at the wreath that he had placed lovingly on the headstone. The holidays had never summoned such a welling of sadness in Albel as it did that year, as he celebrated it with Cliff. But before that year, he had never really celebrated with anyone since his father had died.
When the wind began to pick up, cutting into his exposed flesh, Cliff decided enough was enough. He approached his young lover and grabbed the captain’s arm. He almost recoiled at how cold Albel’s flesh was to the touch.
“We need to go home, before we freeze.” The man said.
When Albel did not respond, Cliff moved so that he stood in front of the captain. Looking carefully at the young man’s face, Cliff was surprised to see ice had formed on Albel’s cheeks. For a moment, he puzzled over how the ice had gotten there. Then he realized that Albel must have been crying. His tears had frozen.
“Come on, ‘Bel. We need to go home.” Cliff repeated, wrapping an arm around Albel’s shoulders and then guiding him home.
`````
As soon as they got home, Cliff plopped Albel down in front of the fire and then wrapped his arms around the young man. Albel did not respond to the contact, merely gazed into the fire impassively, eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
Cliff frowned at the vacant expression, then leaned over and kissed one of the teardrops that had frozen on Albel’s face. At last, Albel perked up and he looked at his lover incredulously, as if that had been one of the most foolish things he had seen Cliff do. Cliff ignored the look, moving in to kiss another ice particle away and warm Albel’s cheek.
~END