Always There

003.

1777, the start of October, early morning, Dresden.

The Count sighed quietly as he grabbed the glass full of wine. What was the point of rereading "the Vicar of Wakefield", what was the point of...

He heard somebody knocking quietly at the front door. Great. What now?

He didn't hesitate and with a long sigh went to the front door. He opened the door without looking at what was standing in front of him and asked in German, "Please, I want to be alone-"

"Weldon?" the voice said in disbelief. The recognizable voice.

Voice that he haven't heard in years. The Count looked up to see his Captain Jack staring at him in awe. How can this be real?

"H-how, what," Weldon opened his mouth but no other words came out. He was shocked to see the same Jack staring at him with the same awe on the face.

And then, Jack hugged him, he held the Count so close to himself that the man could feel Jack's still beating heart in his bones making him feel warm.

"Alchemist," Jack whispered as the Count shivered.

"Captain," Welton let out a shaky breath. He wished he could cry just now. "How did you know where to find me?"

The Captain let go of him and smiled, "I told you we were going to meet again, I am always around. Somebody has informed me that an aristocrat that goes by the name of Welton is living right here. Might call myself a lucky man."

The Count felt the tears forming in his eyes, the tears of hope. He let the guest in and closed the door after Jack.

"Let's have a talk, Jack, what do you think?" Count was quickly showing the way towards the living room.

"What a great idea it is, my friend," Jack let out a nervous chuckle as he followed Weldon.

Both of them sat down on an expensive dark brown sofa. Both of them didn't know what to say, how to start everything over again.

"I met our dear King a few years back at the Versailles, I have been searching for you," Jack tried to form a sentence.

"I am sorry that I've left you hanging like that, dearest," Count responded without looking at Jack. "I really am."

"Don't say that, you shouldn't be the one apologizing here."

"You know..." Weldon started with hesitation, "I have had many horrible thoughts, especially right now, when you weren't near. And I wish I could just end my life, but I would be burning in Hell. But, wait, I would be burning there anyways..."

Jack gently touched other man's hand with his own and sighed. "I am sorry. You will be okay, there are not many people that are just like you, at least I don't know anyone that always looks like forty-five and that's amazing."

"What are you talking about, young boy?" Count chuckled. "Always too young to discuss the politics, as I can see?"

"Oh, don't start!" Jack grumbled while laughing. "You don't even know how badly I wished to see you around, it feels like Heaven to finally see you sitting next to me. Could even call it relief."

Weldon tried his best smile to Jack, but failed. He would hate you, that's not what the Jesus I knew could approve. Count felt Captain's comforting hand on the back and saw him tightening the hand grip.

"Will you tell me about the things that are making you feel this way? I am so sorry that you are going through this horrible pain of being lonely, you deserve happiness, darling, I know you do-"

"I know that- I just know that you're not going to stay. You are the only one that I could call a friend, the only one that reminds me of safety and hope. I'm so tired of losing everyone I trust and love, I am so tired..."

The Count couldn't stop himself from crying, he tried his best not to, but when Captain moved closer so he could hug the Alchemist and hold him close, the man fell into Jack's hands and started to quietly sob into his chest. Jack's calming fingers were slowly moving in circles on the other man's back as they both appeared to be holding hands still.

"I was always dreaming of telling you that," Jack slowly breathed in, "that I wouldn't mind being around you all the time. You mean so much to me, I can't seem to stay away from you for a long time. If you could only let me, I... I would love to stay with you."

The Count couldn't understand, how this charming man wouldn't mind staying with such a selfish Jesus-rules-breaking asshole, but he still pulled away from the comforting hug only to look at Captain's eyes. They were so blue and so sad, Weldon felt like swimming underwater.

"Jack, you don't mean it, you don't know how selfish and stupid I can be," Count choked out with the tears still quietly dripping off his beautiful face.

"I do mean it, darling, I will be here for you. And, I promise you, you will never lose me. It is impossible for me to be gone forever, you see, I was meant to stay alive and to lose everyone that I ever loved. There are no one I can hold onto, because... because of the time," Jack gulped and looked away.

"Oh, Captain, I think you should let yourself cry too for once at least. I am here just for you and you don't seem to be running away from somebody so disgusting just like me myself, after all."

Jack looked down with a long sigh. Count carefully touched one of his cheeks and that made the other man look back at him. They were both staring at each other with an inner understanding, they didn't even try to hide the emotions that were buried deep inside for decades. Both of them holding on each other and not ready to let go. Weldon started slowly leaning towards Jack to hug him, then whispered, "thank you for being around. And, please do stay."