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"I - I know. I know that."
Heaving a long, steadying sigh, he rests his forehead exhaustedly against Herbert's shoulder, muffling his voice against his lover's shirt.
"You're both so good to me - and I hope that you know I appreciate it. I do. I'm just...even after all this time, I'm not used to it."
Heaving a long, steadying sigh, he rests his forehead exhaustedly against Herbert's shoulder, muffling his voice against his lover's shirt.
"You're both so good to me - and I hope that you know I appreciate it. I do. I'm just...even after all this time, I'm not used to it."
"Then it's a plan."
Through the exhaustion, he flashes Sarah a smile, bright and lopsided, but...true. Healing from what they had been through, bit by bit.
"I would be happy to teach you both. I bet you will be a quick study." He holds out the partially finished mending. "In fact, I bet you'll already have learned right now."
Through the exhaustion, he flashes Sarah a smile, bright and lopsided, but...true. Healing from what they had been through, bit by bit.
"I would be happy to teach you both. I bet you will be a quick study." He holds out the partially finished mending. "In fact, I bet you'll already have learned right now."
The words make him groan softly, writhing a little under the hands against his ribcage. He would be a little embarrassed about just how eager he is...but he can't bring himself to be, not really, not anymore. He knows Herbert likes it.
"Never, Engel," he chuckles. "I could never be bored of you."
"Never, Engel," he chuckles. "I could never be bored of you."
"It - it was partly the biting, yes. But I...."
Alfred pauses a moment, realizing they haven't truly discussed this for what it really was. "...Herbert, I wasn't scared off by you. I was scared of...of what I felt. At the time, I...I still didn't realize that it was all right, being attracted to another man. I still thought there was something wrong with me."
Gently, he fingercombs Herbert's hair as he speaks.
"I don't want you to hold back. I never did. I - was afraid, but not...not for the reasons I think you thought I was."
Alfred pauses a moment, realizing they haven't truly discussed this for what it really was. "...Herbert, I wasn't scared off by you. I was scared of...of what I felt. At the time, I...I still didn't realize that it was all right, being attracted to another man. I still thought there was something wrong with me."
Gently, he fingercombs Herbert's hair as he speaks.
"I don't want you to hold back. I never did. I - was afraid, but not...not for the reasons I think you thought I was."
"Oh you didn't know -- poor thing.
I suppose I never realized how lucky I was. Growing up with people who understood me, who encouraged me. Having the privilege to be and love who I wanted.
But you know that now, yes? That there's nothing wrong with this. With us."
I suppose I never realized how lucky I was. Growing up with people who understood me, who encouraged me. Having the privilege to be and love who I wanted.
But you know that now, yes? That there's nothing wrong with this. With us."
Hebert gently cradles the back of Alfred's head, petting him softly. "We know you do. And in time, you'll grow more used to us spoiling you utterly. We just want you to be happy, mon cheri. And if we're ever too much, please do tell us. We'll try to dote on you slightly less."
"In that case..." Herbert stretches out on top of Alfred, lying between his legs, their hips pressed together. One hand comes up to stroke his cheek tenderly as he presses a delicate kiss to his mouth. "Would you permit me to make love to you, my sun and stars?"
Herbert can't help it. He laughs in joy, smearing a kiss against the side of Alfred's face. He braces both hands against the mattress on either side of Alfred's shoulders, slumping forward against him. Exhausted but so, so pleased.
"That was -- incredible. Oh my love, you can order me around any time you like."
"That was -- incredible. Oh my love, you can order me around any time you like."
Oh, now that he's coming down from the fury, he can feel tears starting, in spite of himself. But they aren't sadness - they're catharsis, they're relief. He clings a little.
"All right. I - I will. I know it's out of love, it's just...well, I'm not used to not having to...to prove anything."
"All right. I - I will. I know it's out of love, it's just...well, I'm not used to not having to...to prove anything."
The feeling of his lover sprawling over his body, the firm weight of the larger man settling against him...they make him groan a little, a placid smile pulling at his lips even as he returns that soft kiss.
"Yes...yes, Herbert. Please. I would love for you to. I would - love to feel you."
"Yes...yes, Herbert. Please. I would love for you to. I would - love to feel you."
The laugh is met with a giggle of Alfred's own - he wraps his arms around his lover, holding him there for extra support, still trembling lightly from all the exertion.
"I have - no idea where that came from," he finally admits, grinning a crooked grin. "But it - it felt - really-" He reddens a bit. "You really liked it? Me talking to you like...like that?"
"I have - no idea where that came from," he finally admits, grinning a crooked grin. "But it - it felt - really-" He reddens a bit. "You really liked it? Me talking to you like...like that?"
"A scientific fact?" he teases gently, dropping a kiss to Alfred's shoulder in return.
There's a low rumble of thunder and Herbert tries to pull Alfred even closer. "Do you think it's moving away again?"
There's a low rumble of thunder and Herbert tries to pull Alfred even closer. "Do you think it's moving away again?"
"There is nothing you ever need to prove with me, my love. You are who you are, and who you are is brilliant. I love every part of you. Even the sad ones. Even the angry ones. It doesn't matter because all of them come together to make up the man I adore so dearly."
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