“Forgive me for departing so suddenly,” he said.“My flock requires me.”
Ephraim assured him no apology was necessary and arose to show him out.Much to his astonishment, Hull arose as well, striding forth on both legs without his crutch as if the bone had never broken.The sight proved equal parts heartening and alarming.As glad as he felt to see Hull move without pain, Ephraim feared a relapse if he should push himself too soon, and moreover he was very nervous about Hull going down the stair.However, there was nothing in his power to prevent him, so he merely followed the two fae friends down, they chattering all the way and his heart in his throat with every thud of hoof against step.His nerves were relieved of their strain only when Hull reached the office, where at least if his leg gave out he would fall merely from his own height rather than the full height of the stair.
Hull and Drude embraced as warmly in parting as they had in greeting.Ephraim thought it rude to stare, to watch, to behold so intimate a gesture, but nonetheless found it almost impossible to look away, compelled as he was through his own fascination.
These feelings were not dispelled when the embrace broke off and both fae turned to him with expectant looks.Hull’s was warm, familiar, and easily weathered, though Ephraim blushed regardless.Drude’s was equally warm and thrillingly unfamiliar.Nonetheless Ephraim found (much to his own surprise) that he could read his look almost as easily as Hull’s.Drude’s dark eyes held fathomless pools of admiration and yearning alike.A glance which asked as plainly and far more becomingly than mere words,May I?
Ephraim, still not quite believing in the possibility of such an enquiry, nonetheless found the presence of mind to nod.
Drude reached him in a single stride.His immense hand caught Ephraim’s chin in a hold delicate enough to preserve a butterfly and tilted his face upward to meet the kiss that Drude bent to bestow upon him.
Ephraim’s pulse fluttered with all the joy of a bird whose cage had broken and who could now take wing to rejoin its brethren in the skies after decades of imprisonment.For four decades he had not permitted himself to ponder the flights of fancy that had preoccupied him in his youth; of a wilder world where gentlemen might greet each other thus and part with overflowing affection, a world merely hinted at in his Classical studies, a world which owed more to Dionysos than to reason.
A world into which his dear Hull and now Drude wished to welcome him.
Drude had wrapped his arms around Ephraim’s shoulders in the course of their kiss, and when it ended, he remained thus enfolded, suffused with warmth and strength alike as Drude gazed down at him with an unaccountable fondness.
“Thank you for looking after Hull so well,” Drude said, much to Ephraim’s surprise.“It’s a relief to know he is in such worthy hands.”
Ephraim, whose hands had never been so charitably described, endeavoured to demur without giving insult to his guest.
Drude merely smiled.“I should like to look after you in return someday, if you are willing.”
“Oh!”said Ephraim.His mind struggled to make sense of the words even as his heart fluttered at the thought.“Well, I certainly would not be opposed.”
Drude’s laugh rumbled through Ephraim’s breast-bone.He released Ephraim from the embrace, though he did not withdraw entirely, keeping his warm palms on Ephraim’s shoulders as he gazed down at him.“You must both come visit soon, so I may return your hospitality.”
Hull’s eyes lit up at the notion.Rather than accept the invitation himself, however, he looked to Ephraim for the answer.
“Of course,” Ephraim replied, astonishing himself with his own confidence.Privately, he felt that he had not shown Drude very good hospitality at all.He’d been dashed awkward the evening prior and forced the man to arrange his own breakfast the morning after; a very poor showing overall.He should like to serve him better in the future.To that point, “You’re most welcome to join us again as well, at your leisure.”
Drude appeared surprised but by no means displeased by the invitation.He bowed with remarkable grace.
As their guest crossed the threshold into the outer stair beyond, Hull called after him.“Give my regards to Ptarmigan!”
Drude’s throaty chuckle seemed to rumble through the floorboards.“I shall.”
The door shut upon him.Hoof-beats resounded down the stair.Then the bell over the outer door rang, and their guest vanished into the fog.
Hull swept up Ephraim’s hand to bestow another kiss upon his knuckles, then used this grasp to draw him into a celebratory embrace.Ephraim felt more than happy to acquiesce to this.
“So,” Hull said when the kiss had concluded, “what do you think of him?”
Most of what Ephraim thought of Drude proved difficult to put into words when he had spent the bulk of his life deliberately not noticing such things, much less speaking them aloud.However, he felt he could safely say, “I find him an extraordinarily gregarious fellow, and I’m very glad to have had his assistance in this matter.I should like to know him better.”
Hull beamed and kissed him again.
It was a morning well worth celebrating.Hull was healed.Drude had proved a wonderful fellow and (far more astonishingly) seemed to enjoy Ephraim’s company in return.There remained, however, a disquieting notion that a thousand kisses couldn’t quell.
Ephraim summoned all his courage to give it voice.“I fear you suffered unnecessarily for some time when we had a ready solution to hand.”
“A minor sort of suffering, surely,” said Hull.
Ephraim held his gaze.“Would you consider it a minor sort of suffering if I had broken my leg?”
Hull blanched to a pale grey.
Ephraim felt he had made that point and didn’t need to belabour it.Instead, he gently suggested, “Perhaps in the future we might discuss difficult matters before they become imperative.Even if you believe they will shock me.”
