'I don't want to be away,' Julian thought bitterly.
Should he just declare war on the entire world? Should he just run away with Alaric and Lucius?
They could build a new identity, and he could work for them.
The thought was selfish, trying to strip the Duke away from his authority and Duchy to live a scrappy life.
"I'm sorry, Lucien," he said, bringing his hands to his face and trying to hide his tears, but Alaric held his hands and then kissed the corner of his eye.
Alaric didn't answer with words. He buried his face in Julian's neck, his ragged breathing the only sound in the room besides the crackle of the dying fire.
"It's fine, Julian. It'll be fine," he rasped, sweat trailing down his temple. "For now, just forget about everything else and focus on me."
He moved with a desperate, heavy rhythm, as if he could physically weld their souls together, so that no matter how many miles lay between them, the connection would never snap.
