#tom jerking his arm away at first when francis goes to help

[barklikeagod]

i can't watch this scene without thinking of matthias taking care of theo's wounds...

[tomjopson]

ya’aburnee and/or volta for joplittle

volta // βόλτα

(greek, n.) - a leisurely stroll along the main street or the seashore as the sun is setting, to meet and talk with friends and neighbors

One Word Ideas (Prompts)

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The hushed murmur of the waves as they roll against therocks is almost enough to put Edward to sleep. Even as he stands, a few pacesfrom the water’s edge, on a rocky bank, he feels sleep and her inviting embracecurling around his shoulders as he basks in the warmth of the sun as it dipsdeeper in the distance. He sways on his feet, jerking a little as he lifts his head,breathing in the salt of air. His eyes squint against the brightness of thesunset, examining the deep mauve and scarlet hues of the wispy clouds hoveringover the seemingly endless horizon of ocean.

It’s a sensation he cannot quite name—the trembling andbubbling ache in his chest, a melancholic satisfaction for the fresh air, the sunlight,and rustle of the waves and seaside grass. He wishes, irrationally so, that hecould contain this moment, suspended in time forever, that he could revisit itwhenever he desired.

As the sun dips farther, however, he knows that it cannotlast.

Careful, as he watches his footing, he steps down from therocks to where the sand is wet and tightly packed. He did not stray far fromthe house — the quaint, whitewashed cottage where Francis and James have takenresidence after their retirement. And the promise of a hearty homecooked meal,plenty of wine, good conversation, and the company of friends compels him to beginthe short trek back.

As he continues the stroll, he feels an uncontrollable impulseto remove his shoes and roll up the legs of his trousers that he may walkthrough the suds of the waves themselves. It is a remnant of his boyhood surely,where he and his brothers would race each other through the woods to wade inthe creek and skip rocks. Removing his socks and shoes delays his walk by onlya few minutes more, and when the first cool touch of water washes over hisfeet, he feels giddy enough to shout.

Unable to contain himself, the absolute bliss of the momentmaking him laugh, he kicks at the foam in the water and keeps walking, hisshoes cradled in his elbow.

When the corner of the cottage’s thatched roof crests thehill, Edward sees a lone figure descending the hill, down the pathway leading fromthe house. He recognizes the dark hair and the deep green waistcoat as Thomas nearshim. In the warm weather, he is dressed down to only his shirt and waistcoat, muchto Edward’s pleasure, as he can fully appreciate the man’s trim figure with sofew layers.

Edward raises his hand in a wave once Thomas is on the beachwith him, and Thomas is near enough now for Edward to see his handsome featurestwisted into a confused smile.

“What are you doing?” he asks with a short laugh.

“You should join me,” Edward says, making a wide, arching gesturewith his arm. “Revel in nature’s bounty with me.”

“I came to let you know, Mr. Little,” Thomas says withanother huffed laugh, “that dinner is ready. And I highly doubt that Jameswould appreciate you tracking in sand and sea water.”

“Oh, fine,” Edward relents, making a show of dragging hisfeet as he steps out of the water toward him. “Give me a moment.”

Thomas offers him a hand to help him keep his balance as he replaceshis socks and shoes. When Edward straightens again, Thomas surprises him bygiving him a short kiss, smiling sweetly as he pulls away.

Edward catches his hand, interlacing their fingers, as theywalk back toward the house.

“Tom,” he says, squeezing the other man’s hand, “I want toask you something.”

Their holiday with Francis and James was nearing its end, soEdward knows he’s running out of time to breach the topic. Thomas glances over,sensing Edward’s trepidation but silently waiting for him to continue.

“Would you want something like this? Like what Francis andJames have?”

Thomas gives him a bemused smile. “We already do—”

“I mean, a house. Like this. In the country, somewhereprivate, somewhere that could be just ours.”

He pulls on Thomas’s hand, stopping at the base of the pathgoing up the hill. The sun is dipping lower, the sky darkening to a purple, itsfaint light tracing Thomas’s silhouette, the ocean spanning behind him.

“I’ve been spoiled, waking up beside you,” Edward says, hismind drifting to that very morning where he and Thomas woke at dawn, kissinglazily and making love under the quilt, falling back asleep for a few hoursmore before waking to breakfast.

Thomas is silent, the wind off the sea catching tendrils ofhis hair. The hiss of the waves seems louder than before as the sun dips belowthe horizon fully, pinpricks of stars beginning to dot the sky above them. Evenin the dim light, Thomas’s eyes are striking, but the longer that Thomas isquiet, the more Edward struggles to maintain his gaze.

Finally, Thomas raises Edward’s knuckles to his lips,kissing each knob before kissing the back of his hand.

His voice is thick when he whispers, his lips moving againstthe skin of Edward’s wrist, “I would like that, more than anything.”

Edward’s heart swells, and with a laugh, painted so muchwith relief that it sounds more like a heaving sigh, he wraps his arm aroundThomas’s shoulder and pulls him tight, Thomas pressing his face into Edward’sshoulder.

“Ah, the prodigal son returns,” Francis’s voice booms fromthe top of the hill.

Edward pulls away, looking up to see Francis standing at thetop of the path, his hands in his pockets, backlit from the cheery light glowingfrom the cottage.

Thomas laughs, the noise a little watery, as he pulls fromEdward’s embrace and leads him up the path.

Francis nods to Thomas while smiling at Edward. “I assumedyou got lost, so I sent him to fetch you.”

“I was just enjoying the sunset and the sea, sir.”

Francis’s eyes twinkle, even as he lets Edward’s slip backinto decorum slide. “Spoken like a true navy man.”

His eyes light on Thomas briefly as the man wipes hisfingers at his face.

“Are you all right, Thomas?”

Thomas lifts his head enough to smile at Francis.

“Yes, I’m more than all right.”

He releases Edward’s hand and follows Francis toward thehouse as Francis claps a hand on his shoulder.

“Well, come then. James has cracked open a vintage that heis desperate for you and your discerning tastes to try.”

Watching the pair disappear inside the house, Edward turnstoward the sea once more, his eyes glancing up and appraising the stars and thedark outline of clouds.

Content.

He feels content, he realizes as laughter echoes from insidethe house, the noise buoyed by the whispering waves and chirping crickets. Evenif he cannot save this exact moment, his heart is sustained by plans for the future,the country house he can share with Thomas, with enough room for the two ofthem, their laughter, their love, their family, just themselves, and he feelscontent.

Edward smiles and goes inside.