A thin excuse, and they both knew it. But Sebastian nodded once, accepting the pretense without challenging it.
They strolled through the village in silence, past dwellings where most families were already asleep, past the training grounds where only a single warrior remained, practicing forms by moonlight. Boarstaff acknowledged the night guards at the eastern wall with a nod as they passed through the gate.
Once beyond the village's boundaries, hidden by darkness and distance, Boarstaff reached for Sebastian's hand. Their fingers intertwined, a simple contact that carried significance beyond its gesture. They walked this way in silence, hands joined in the darkness where no one could see them, the touch saying what words could not.
The rain had softened to a gentle mist, barely perceptible except where it caught the moonlight that occasionally broke through thinning clouds. Water droplets clung to Sebastian's hair, catching the faint light like tiny stars. Boarstaff found himself studying Sebastian's profile as they walked, the proud line of his jaw, the slight furrow between his brows, the controlled rhythm of his breathing.
"You did well tonight," Boarstaff broke the comfortable silence. "Thornmaker actually nodded at you as you left. I don't think I've ever seen him acknowledge someone outside the warrior caste that way."
"The buck made me useful," Sebastian replied, his voice neutral. "Nothing more."
"It was more than that." Boarstaff squeezed his hand gently. "You showed restraint. Patience. Respect for our ways."
Sebastian didn't respond immediately. When he did, his voice was quieter. "The feast... reminded me of something I'd forgotten."
"What?"
"That there are other ways to exist besides solitude or domination."
The simple admission carried weight that Boarstaff understood all too well. For a creature raised in the rigid hierarchy of vampire society, where power determined every interaction, the communal sharing of the village represented something revolutionary. Not perfect, not without its owncomplications, but fundamentally different from the cold efficiency Sebastian had known.
As they approached the caves, the path narrowed, forcing them closer together. Boarstaff's shoulder brushed against Sebastian's, a casual touch that sent awareness through him despite its innocence. They hadn't been truly alone together since Sebastian had fed in the cave after training. There had been no time, no privacy, no opportunity for anything beyond necessary interaction.
"Will you come inside?" Sebastian asked as they reached the cave entrance, his voice carefully neutral, offering Boarstaff the choice to decline without judgment.
"Yes," Boarstaff answered simply.
The cave interior was cool and dark, but Sebastian walked through it with perfect assurance, requiring no light to navigate the space. Boarstaff followed, guided by his outline against the deeper darkness. When Sebastian paused, Boarstaff stepped closer, close enough to feel the slight chill that always emanated from Sebastian's skin.
"I've been thinking about your offer," Sebastian said, his voice low in the darkness. "To stay in your quarters."
Boarstaff's pulse quickened slightly, but he kept his voice steady. "And?"
"I still believe it would complicate matters for you."
"I told you before, that's my concern, not yours."
"Perhaps." Sebastian eased closer, eliminating the last space between them. "But there are other possibilities."
"Such as?"
"You could stay here. Not permanently. But tonight."
The invitation hung between them, weighted with meaning beyond its simple words. Boarstaff reached up, finding Sebastian's face in the darkness, his thumb tracing the line of his cheekbone.
"Is that what you want?" Boarstaff needed to be certain.
In answer, Sebastian leaned forward, his lips finding Boarstaff's with unerring precision despite the darkness. The kiss was tentative at first. Boarstaff responded by deepening it, his hand slid to the nape of Sebastian's neck, drawing him closer.
There was no urgency driving them, no desperate hunger after prolonged separation. This was exploration, rediscovery, the slow mapping of territory that had changed since they last traversed it. Sebastian's body felt different beneath Boarstaff's hands. The places where components had been removed were ridged with healing scars. The texture of his skin altered where brass had once been embedded.
"Can I see you?" Boarstaff asked when they finally broke apart, his breath coming faster.
Sebastian hesitated, tension running through him. "I'm... not as I was."
"I know." Boarstaff's hands remained steady on Sebastian's hips, respecting the boundaries established earlier. "That's why I want to see."
After a moment of silence, Sebastian moved to guide him deeper into the cave, but Boarstaff caught his hand, pulling him gently toward the cave entrance where moonlight spilled through.
