AU week - telling the tale.

[thewidewideworld]

Sin takes Athelstan's hand and leads him through a door and then another, and up a narrow flight of stairs that seem to be hidden in the walls. To another door that looks like it should be locked but isn't. (Or isn't locked anymore.)

The journey leads them into the roof and a flatish section of tiles where they can sit and look out over the lake, protected from the breeze.

"Come, sit with me." Sin strolls across the tiles, sure as a mountain goat till he finds a good spot to sit with their backs against a chimney.

Comments

[athelstanthescribe]

"It wasn't only me", he says softly. "He wasn't unfair that way, my cousins got it sometimes too."

But looking back, he's not sure he didn't get it more.

[thewidewideworld]

"I'm guessing you learnt to blend in, to avoid the beatings?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Yeah." He looks down. "Be quiet and nobody notices you, do your chores and do them right, and never, ever step out of line."

[thewidewideworld]

He reaches up to cup Athelstan's cheek, looking him in the eye. "But they never broke you, beautiful Athelstan. They never broke you."

[athelstanthescribe]

"There was always something", he presses a hand to his chest, "something that didn't go away, even when I tried to be..." Normal.

[thewidewideworld]

Sin covers it with his own. "And how does that something feel now?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Stronger", he says simply.

[thewidewideworld]

Sin smiles and cups his cheek, pulling him into a slow, meaningful kiss.

[athelstanthescribe]

He's hesitant for the first second, but begins to return it, just as meaningfully.

"Uncle Cuthbert said", he murmurs as it ends, "from back before I was old enough to have feelings about anybody, that anything but a man and a woman together in marriage was inspired by the devil. He was fire and brimstone..."

And Athelstan doesn't feel inspired by the devil now - though there's still a voice, and he knows whose, in the back of his mind saying pointedly, How would you know?

[thewidewideworld]

The kiss warms him, glad to feel Athelstan warm to him and return the kiss.

"All my life, I've walked a fine line between people who accepted and liked me for who I am, and those who said I was the spawn of the devil. I can't say I know who's right, but I know who I'd rather spend my time with."

[athelstanthescribe]

"I didn't get to spend a lot of time with people who were as accepting as you and Ragnar", Athelstan says quietly. "I was home-schooled, so not even there."

[thewidewideworld]

"School was a rude awakening for me. To realise the life I had lived was... wrong."

He brushes his hand over Athelstan's cheek, "We'll introduce you to more people."

[athelstanthescribe]

"I think that's part of why we weren't sent. He didn't want us to know other people didn't think the same things." He leans into the hand. "Or that other kids' parents didn't keep the cane by the door. I'd like that."

[thewidewideworld]

"More and more grateful Ragnar found you." Sin whispers, brushing his lips over Athelstan's cheek.

"But their control over you lasted, even as adult?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"You don't shed it that easily", he says quietly. "When I was 21, I came into everything my parents left and I bought my house. But it was... if I don't go to church every morning, and dinner at Uncle Cuthbert and Aunt Mary's every night, I'd better have a real good reason."

The 'don't' is an unconscious slip.

[thewidewideworld]

"Do you think they've sent a search party out for you yet? You must have missed a few dinners by now." Sin jokes.

[athelstanthescribe]

He shakes his head.

"Time here doesn't count. We'd had dinner before you all showed up at the church hall, and I went the night Ragnar came to my house. I just stayed very quiet."

[thewidewideworld]

Sin watches him worriedly. "And when you leave here with Ragnar for the festival?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"When I go to the festival..." He sighs. "I'm going to have to either lie to them, say it's a business trip or something, or tell them I'm running away with a male biker and probably be excommunicated on the spot."

[thewidewideworld]

"I won't and can't tell you what to do, lovely Athelstan. But know, whatever you do, Ragnar and I will be there for you. Only you can decide what you're ready for."

[athelstanthescribe]

"It's tempting to shock them all", he admits. "But I don't want to give anybody an actual heart attack."

[thewidewideworld]

He runs his thumb over Athelstan's inner wrist, letting him take his time to process.

[athelstanthescribe]

"My cousins", he says quietly. "They were more like my brothers. And we used to sneak in and take care of each other, after..."

He's going to miss them.

[thewidewideworld]

"Maybe they're the people you need to talk to first?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Maybe", he agrees, with reluctance from fear.