‘Go away.’
‘Why?’
‘Because.’
‘Go on, it’ll feel amazing.’With the sun bearing down, Lachlan wishes he could dive in too, sink beneath and hold his breath and let all the worries drown.Silence, peace, safety.Just for a minute.
‘I don’t… what if it feels weird?’
‘The ocean?’
‘I’ve only ever swum in the lake and when I was little, we had a pool but my father had it filled in.’
‘He did?’
‘What if I don’t like it?’
‘Jules,’ he says.‘You’re going to fucking love it, now stop being such a brat and go on.You were made for it.’
Jules frowns.‘I’m still mad at you.’
‘What’s new?Either you go in right now, or I’ll carry you in bridal style.’
‘You wouldn’t.’Lachlan sighs heavily and makes a big show of pulling off his jacket.Jules steps away, glancing back at Roman and Savannah on the shore.‘OK, OK, fine!Fucking hell, Bodyguard.I’ll go.’
Biting back a satisfied smile, Lachlan watches as Jules walks slowly out, can almost feel the cold, salty water on his own ankles, then knees, then waist.When Jules dives under, Lachlan closes his eyes, tries to imagine how that must feel for the first time, how exquisitely beautiful.
When Jules emerges, he has this look of pure joy on his face.All jealousy and insecurity has been wiped clean.He’s relaxed, seems so at home.For the first time, Lachlan’s fears loosen just a fraction.
Lachlan stands on the shore, just far back enough that the waves can’t touch his boots and watches the boy he loves swim in the sea for the first time.
Jules swims for a while, seems to have no desire to come in yet so Lachlan goes back to the other two, just checking in mostly.
Roman is painting Savannah’s toenails a silvery shade of blue.Lachlan does his best to give them privacy, standing in front and to the left, watching the water, watching Jules swim,watchingthat boy always for reasons that settle into his DNA and take hold, bonding, forming, adapting.
Lachlan is made to adapt, he’s capable of that.
He watches until they’re called back for lunch.
?
Lachlan eats while Jules showers in the en-suite.
He’d typically try to eat at least once a day with Mimi, but otherwise he’s used to going to the kitchens and grabbing whatever, whenever.He misses hanging out with Vasily in the kitchens while he ate.He misses Blaire.He misses Danya.He misses his princess so much it’s making his ribs ache.
The kitchen in this place is wide open.
He makes himself a very basic sandwich, refuses the staff’s offer to cook something or set a plate aside for him from the more impressive lunch they’re serving soon for the guests.
A sandwich is fine.He consumes the whole thing in four bites, drains a glass of water and heads out.Roman is waiting for him outside the kitchen.
‘Hey,’ he says, ‘I wanted to apologise.’
Lachlan waves him off.‘Nothing to apologise for.’
‘No, Ana is right.Iama dick. Sorry.’
Lachlan offers a brief smile, looks around.‘You’re all good.’
