As Aion steers them through the Capitol in the dim morning light, Eros can’t help but feel like a child sneaking around the house before their parents awoke. And, like a child tiptoeing out, Eros desperately hopes they won’t run into anyone on their way—lest the sanctity of this moment of theirs alone together be broken. Whether it be the early hour, or pure luck, his wish is granted; they slip from the Court unseen, pressed together at the shoulder and hip as if they might lose each other again in their travels if not in constant contact.
When they reach the vibrant meadow outside the Court, Aion slows to a leisurely amble, and Eros matches. The long grasses tickle his knees and the fragrance of bloomed flowers fills his nose. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” Eros hums his agreement. Birds fly overhead, swooping in lazy circles as if painting script in the sky. They exude joy, and freedom, and Eros smiles in understanding of their carefree gaiety; he, too, revels in the unworried enjoyment of a nice day.
Soon they reach the edge of the meadow—too soon, Eros finds himself thinking. But he chances a look at his partner, and Aion’s uncontainable smile assures him that the ecstasy of today is only just beginning. As they step onto the warm sand, the water lapping at their hooves, Eros remembers his dream—the cool ocean, the sunset, the seagulls. What does today have in store for me? Aion turns to him, then, and Eros wonders if he had been dreaming at all. Or if, somehow, he had seen a glimpse of what is in store.
@aion
