" last night "

Chapter 23

     They stayed like that for a while, just holding each other closely, lips locked and grips tight. Darion let his hand drift down to the nape of Windham's neck, fumbling with his clerical collar. He smiled at the quiet sigh it drew from the overseer. He ran his index finger along the edge of Windham's jaw, then down to his chin, dragged his thumb along his bottom lip. When Windham relaxed and leaned into his touch, Darion felt like he was going to crumble from how much tenderness and adoration he held for him.
     He didn't want to, but Windham was the first to pull away, face flushed and chest heaving from lack of air. For a moment he thought he was going to pass out, but not because he hadn't gotten enough oxygen. The hands trailing along the side of his face grounded him to reality a bit more sturdily, reminding him that no, this wasn't a dream, this was real, what they both felt for each other was real, what was going on was real.
     "You alright there, pretty boy? Need to sit down?" Darion teased, but his expression was everything but mocking.
     "Nah, I'll—I'll be fine." He pressed a quick kiss to the crooked bridge of Darion's nose, grinning. "Just out of breath, haven't done that in a long time."
     "Well, would you like to do it more often?"
     "Best idea you've had in months," he said, stealing another quick kiss, then another.
     "Never took you to be the affectionate type," Darion muttered, settling his hands on Windham's hips.
     The overseer shrugged. "In public, I'm not. I'm much more comfortable like this when there's nobody around to bring it up later."
     "Wonder how affectionate you'd be at my place then, hmmm?"
Darion had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at how timid Windham's expression was. Despite being outrageously funny, it was pretty endearing; his face flushed a dark red, avoiding looking directly at Darion, lips pressed in a thin line.
     "C'mon, Windham, you know I'm just teasing."
     "I know, I know... Well, I never said I was opposed to the idea."
     That was the second most surprising thing Windham has said all month. The most surprising was fairly obvious.
     "Really now?" Darion raised an eyebrow, a bit dubious of the sincerity of that statement.
     "Oh come on, you really think I'm that much of a prude?"
     "You're an overseer, of course I do."
     Windham rolled his eyes and chuckled a bit, because there was a bit of truth to what he said. "Guess you're right, somewhat."
     "'Course I am, when am I not?" Darion retorted lightheartedly, pressing his lips softly against Windham's jugular.
     There was a moment of comfortable silence, and then: "You know, this would be so much more enjoyable if it wasn't cold as hell out here."
     Darion laughed, leaning his head against Windham's chest. "Well, where do you suggest we continue this?"
     Windham hummed quietly, brushing a strand of hair out of Darion's face. "Your apartment would be the best choice, seeing as the bunkhouse is likely far from empty, and I'd rather not run the risk of getting caught with you in the High Overseer's office."
     "Heh, wouldn't that be rich. Just think of the headlines if that happened: 'Male lovers caught desecrating the office of the High Overseer.'"
     Windham whistled. "That would make things significantly more difficult."
     "What things?"
     "Oh, the usual, living peacefully, hiding under the radar, desecrating other places."
     Darion grinned and grabbed the front of his coat, pulling him forward slightly. "You sarcastic ass. Love your ass, by the way."
     "...Fuck you."
     "If that's what you want, sweetheart."
     "That's not what I meant!" He grumbled exasperatedly.
     Darion let go of his coat, but not before dragging him forward and kissing him with a nearly bruising amount of force, biting his bottom lip and chuckling at the small groans and gasps it elicited from him.
     "Love you," he said once he pulled away, smiling at Windham's lack of composure.
     "Uh—Y-yeah, love you too. Can we go now? It's cold, really cold."
     Without another word, Darion wrapped his arm around Windham's waist and walked up the steps into the streetways. Once they were out in the open, he moved his arm away and began undoing the buttons to his coat.
     "Here," he said, draping it around the overseer's shoulders. It was a bit small, but it did warm him up a bit more. "Don't really need it, the cold doesn't bother me."
     "Pale ass Tyvian," he said with a grin.
     "Oh, we're gonna play that game again? Don't get me started, you...fuck, I can't think of anything." Darion elbowed him jokingly and smiled when Windham looked away to stifle his laughter.
     Taking on a bit of a more serious tone, Windham said, "I feel like things aren't going to change too much between us. Not in a bad way, I mean. We're still gonna be complete dumbasses around each other. Just a bit more kissing involved."
     "There could be more than just that, you know." Darion cast a sideways glance at him before sliding his hand along his waist.
     Windham stiffened slightly. "Um, yeah, about that... See, I know I said I wasn't against it—"
     Darion quickly moved his hand away to avoid any discomfort. "Hey, don't worry about it. You don't have to if you don't wanna."
     Windham's face was so warm with embarrassment that he actually thought he might pass out. "Let's just...wait to talk about it at your place, okay? There's a lot more to it than just, 'I'm not ready.'"
     Darion frowned slightly. "Is everything alright? Did something happen, or...?"
     Windham responded with a shrug. "It was a long time ago."
     Darion frowned, having an idea to where this was going. He wasn't going to let Windham know that, though. It wasn't his place to jump to conclusions and force the truth out of him, so he remained silent.
     However, he did ask, "How long?"
     "I was seventeen."
     Darion's blood ran cold. Seventeen? He didn't give an amount of time, just an age. That definitely was giving him ideas to what happened.
     Not wanting to pry any further, Darion wordlessly intertwined his fingers with Windham's, giving him a small smile. "Don't feel forced to tell me if you're not ready, okay?"
     Windham sighed and gently squeezed Darion's hand. "It's...It's just that I haven't told anyone. Haven't really had anyone to tell, and Overholt's far too young to know about that. He needs time to grow up before I let him see me break like that."
     Darion bit his lip, wanting nothing more in that moment than to hold Windham against his chest and assure him everything was okay. There was a certain hurt and helplessness to his voice that made Darion want to drop everything and just protect Windham with his life.
     "Hey," Darion said, standing on the tips of his toes to match Windham's height a bit more. "It's gonna be okay. I'm here for you. You're not alone." He placed both hands on the sides of Windham's face before brushing a loose strand of hair away from his deep amber eyes.
     The overseer smiled softly at the gesture, but Darion noticed his eyes flitting back and forth between other people in the streets behind him.
     Sensing his nervousness, Darion pulled away and smacked his shoulder in a friendly manner. As soon as they were at his apartment, though, he was going to throw all caution to the wind.
     "C'mon, 's getting late, and I don't wanna carry you again." Darion glanced up at him and winked before the right corner of his lips tilted up in a subtle half-smirk.
     "But you still would."
     "...Shut up, priest bastard."
Windham laughed and elbowed Darion, saying, "Nah, you'd rather keep me talking."
     Darion snickered and elbowed him back. "Y'know, you might just be right." All of a sudden, he stopped. "Windham, do you have leave tonight, or...?"
     The grin fell from Windham's face as he groaned. "No, I don't— Fucking...Ugh." He was looking forward to spending time alone with Darion (once they had both pushed past why he was so touchy), but that wouldn't really be possible unless he wanted to be stuck scrubbing the dining area floors for weeks. Knowing he'd have to go back to the Abbey, Windham reluctantly gave Darion his coat back.
     Darion sighed and shouldered it once more. "When do you have leave?"
     "Not sure. Sometime within the next week, though, I know that."
     "Hmm. Alright, uh, just lemme know when you can spare a few hours. Or a day."
     Windham sighed. "I'd rather spare a lifetime."
     "You sound like a hopeless romantic."
     "Around you, I'm as hopeless and romantic as it gets."
     Darion chuckled before motioning for Windham to come closer through a small space between two buildings.
     He did so, raising an eyebrow before he was gently tugged down by his coat so that Darion could kiss him— deeply, softly, lovingly — once more before they went their separate ways.
     The officer pulled away after a few moments, his lips barely grazing Windham's as he spoke. "I'll see you soon, sweetheart."
     And with that, Darion made his way back to the post he had abandoned previously, leaving Windham grinning like an idiot, practically drunk on love.