Cheslav shuddered in the wake of the choked noise Aleksandr had made, nearly inhuman, all too human. Pain, the most primal of cries, cut short and swallowed by its own undertow.
He felt body and mind respond instinctively, pressing closer, grasping him harder. Aleksandr's masculine strength and solidity were grounding.
"Da," he said, hushed. "I will."
He swallowed, rubbing his forehead lightly against Aleksandr's cheek. He felt the softly abrasive texture of wet stubble.
"I couldn't think of either of us spending this night alone."
Cheslav could barely remember a time during their association before they had been so companionable. Compatible. What had started as a tentative alliance had quickly and improbably grown to something more.
He remembered there had been times when he wondered if what they shared was immoral. Then he had laughed at himself. Immoral was what he had to do to survive the Siege of Leningrad.
Slowly he raised his head, blinking the water out of weary eyes. He felt a deep ache inside of him that he realized had been present for a very long time, as if he'd been forced to swallow a stone and had carried the weight of it ever since.
"You know that we'll do more than just endure. In these times, a man can thrive. He can grow, and transform. Nothing all at once. Nothing sudden. But you'll go on, better than new. We'll start tonight. You and I."
Cheslav drew in a deep, humid breath and raised his hand, and pushed it through his wet hair.
"Come on. Let me finish getting you clean. Then we can light a fire, and raid your liquor cabinet."
He smiled and met Aleksandr's eyes, finding their iceless blue familiar, the man he knew.
Cheslav shook his head.
"You know I've missed it. Coming here. Being here, Shurik."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-03-08 05:06 am (UTC)He felt body and mind respond instinctively, pressing closer, grasping him harder. Aleksandr's masculine strength and solidity were grounding.
"Da," he said, hushed. "I will."
He swallowed, rubbing his forehead lightly against Aleksandr's cheek. He felt the softly abrasive texture of wet stubble.
"I couldn't think of either of us spending this night alone."
Cheslav could barely remember a time during their association before they had been so companionable. Compatible. What had started as a tentative alliance had quickly and improbably grown to something more.
He remembered there had been times when he wondered if what they shared was immoral. Then he had laughed at himself. Immoral was what he had to do to survive the Siege of Leningrad.
Slowly he raised his head, blinking the water out of weary eyes. He felt a deep ache inside of him that he realized had been present for a very long time, as if he'd been forced to swallow a stone and had carried the weight of it ever since.
"You know that we'll do more than just endure. In these times, a man can thrive. He can grow, and transform. Nothing all at once. Nothing sudden. But you'll go on, better than new. We'll start tonight. You and I."
Cheslav drew in a deep, humid breath and raised his hand, and pushed it through his wet hair.
"Come on. Let me finish getting you clean. Then we can light a fire, and raid your liquor cabinet."
He smiled and met Aleksandr's eyes, finding their iceless blue familiar, the man he knew.
Cheslav shook his head.
"You know I've missed it. Coming here. Being here, Shurik."