The Stone Knight (gay)✔️

35. The unspoken truth.

After a long day at work, which wasn't over yet, Lucas Mahoney lay sprawled out on a stretcher recovering from a couple of quick laps in the pool. He was pleased with the distraction that the children's book conference brought him, but had mixed feelings on his return to the hotel where everything had begun.
Ben had accepted his resignation letter with a smile. "I won't keep you to a notice period," he had said after Lucas clarified the situation, "but please don't be too hasty in your next step." The man hadn't bothered with any more words.
Now Lucas lay staring at the starry sky, waiting for the closing ball. In that sense, he left Ben with a goal.
During the four days they were here, he was regularly inundated with memories of Lizzy and the life he led before he met Dylan. No matter how much pain losing Lizzy caused him, he had never been remorseful about Noah's conception. The happiness of his existence transcended all the suffering that followed.

In their time together, Dylan had not asked for "wedding vows" and he was sure Prof Rivers would not reveal anything. The memory of that vow elicited a wistful smile. Maybe it was better that Dylan had forgotten this. It exposed so much about his feelings. For a few seconds he allowed himself to swoon in his admiration for Dylan, but soon he cleared his throat and returned to reality. It had to be done with the dependency he had shown in recent years. The insecure orphan had become a self-employed adult with strong roots. He had everything he needed to stand on his own two feet. Now it was just a matter of packing.
After a quick shower, he put on his costume. The pea green shirt with shouty logo, paired with khaki-colored shorts, was a bold nod to his past here and he was sure Lizzy would have liked it. With a sad smile, he closed the room door behind him.

Dylan stood nervously picking at his cuffs in a secluded corner waiting for Lucas to make his entrance. Ben made him crawl through the dust before confirming Lucas' presence at this ball. Once he had dropped his reserves, the memories had forced themselves upon him. The one he forgot made an impression, but it was mainly the years around it that crushed him. How could he have been so blind! Frankly, it was a shock to discover where and when his love for Lucas had begun. Five years ago, it had driven him to the hotel bar. This time, he was going to face Lucas soberly.
Dylan came into action as soon as he spotted Lucas in the sea of people. Despite his nerves, a spontaneous smile escaped his throat upon seeing Lucas' costume. The high déja vu content seemed very appropriate. Wasting no time he set an intercept-course. He did not count on the large number of people who welcomed him and were amazed at his unannounced presence. With a keen eye on Lucas, he spoke to them as quickly as possible. Either way, he wanted to prevent Lucas from seeing him before he was within reach. Flight dangerous, Ben called him.

After finally freeing himself from three more clingy guests, he stopped right behind Lucas. It took him a long time to control his nerves. His actions at the time had been blatant and totally inappropriate. He was hoping lucas would one day be able to forgive him. 'Did he have the right to make this painful confession at all?' Before he could move, Lucas turned around.
Dylan drank in his face. On the first step backwards, he grabbed his wrist. "Please don't run away from me, Lucas. I'm here to tell you that I have my memory back." Green eyes stood surprised. "Everything?" he asked, scanning.
"Everything," Dylan confessed. He bit his lower lip and watched an array of emotions pull over his lover's face. Upon seeing where he lingered, on stubborn, Dylan desperately closed his eyes. "Do we have to do this here?" he asked.
A protruding chin answered him.
"Okay," he sighed, grabbing Lucas by the hand. "I wanted to avoid a scene, but apparently that's not going to happen."
Lucas did his best to wriggle free. "Ben!", he shouted in an attempt for help.
"Listen to him, Lucas," Ben said. "That man wants to air his heart, and you don't do that with an audience."

Curious about what Dylan had to tell him, he walked along obediently. When they came to a stop in front of a hotel door, his breath swelled.
"This is where the foundation of our lives together lies," Dylan said, unlocking the door. He had no view on Lucas's expression, but the tension in his shoulders spoke volumes.
"It's not fair of you to use Noah's existence as a weapon," Lucas shook.
Dylan closed the door behind him and looked at Lucas agonizingly. "That was never my intention."
Lucas wasn't so sure what to make of the expression on Dylan's face. Their presence in this room clearly indicated that his memory had indeed returned. Still, he was confused why Dylan had led him here. "Why are we here?"