Love me in the Shadows of Our Memories (🇬🇧)

Chapter 33 - The Song of Love

In the embrace of a lover,

the poetry of connection unfolds,

and every touch becomes a verse

in a shared song.

Magnus

Magnus stood alone in Alec's small kitchen, preparing the batter for a cake. The slight burning in his eyes and tired muscles bore witness to the long and exhausting night he had endured.

Betty, a young resident of the settlement, had given birth to a healthy daughter last night. It had been a special experience for Magnus. A beautiful moment. It was the first birth he had been privileged to assist with.

Magnus poured the finished cake batter into a baking tin and turned on the small mini-oven he had borrowed from the main kitchen.

That special moment in Betty's life... stirred the memories of his children's births. Even now, well over an hour later, his thoughts kept returning to that night.

With those memories came the feelings: the fear of the pain, the uncertainty of whether he would manage the birth without the safety net of medical support and a midwife. The desperate feeling of loneliness had, more than once, sparked a desire for the comforting presence of a familiar person. Magnus had suppressed all those emotions and almost forgotten them. Now they throbbed raw and painful in his chest once again.

But there was more. The feeling of relief when he knew his children were safe and healthy. The indescribable feeling of pure joy when he heard their cries for the first time. That strong love had banished all shadows and tearful thoughts as he looked into his twins' crumpled faces.

It had been a night that had changed him. A night that had brought him, not only new fears and worries but also an inner strength. A strength he had needed to survive and still drew from upon today.

Soft footsteps behind him brought him back to the present. They approached, and the next moment, Alec's strong arms surrounded him. The alpha nestled against him and rested his chin on Magnus' shoulder.

Magnus smiled and basked in the familiar warmth and security emanating from Alec's proximity. He leaned into the embrace, finding comfort and strength in the loving touch.

"A cake? What's the occasion?" Alec asked with great curiosity.

Magnus smoothed the surface of the batter and replied, "Betty had her child last night. It's a girl."

"Oh, how lovely. Are mother and child doing well?"

Magnus nodded and answered, "Yes, both are doing fine."

"That's good to hear."

Magnus pressed a kiss to Alec's cheek. He opened the oven door without leaving the space in Alec's arms and slid the cake inside. Setting the old egg timer to forty minutes, he then turned in Alec's embrace, wrapping his arms around him.

"It was a beautiful birth," he recounted, resting his cheek against Alec's shoulder. "Thomas was a great support. He stood by his wife wonderfully."

Magnus hadn't even noticed he had started to cry until he felt the first tears on his face. He sniffled softly.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Alec asked with concern in his voice.

Magnus wrinkled his nose.

"The birth brought back memories of the birth of our twins. Sorry. I'm just a little emotional. It's nothing."

Magnus should have known Alec wouldn't let it go that easily. He cupped his face with both hands, enclosing it in a tender frame of comfort and love. Gently, he brushed his thumbs over Magnus' cheeks to wipe away the tears.