Snow

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to. I just--I wanted to touch you and I forgot. Are you…the cold. Does it hurt?"

"I don't feel it," Alec said. "I've never felt it. When you--when you touch me I've never felt anything but you."

Under his clothes Alec was paler than even David was, rimmed with the smudges of glittering dust on his hands, a trail of it snaking down around his wrists. David watched streaks of it bloom across his own skin. It stung, sharp prickles. He didn't care, watched with heavy lidded eyes as Alec knelt above him, a strange smile that wasn't one on his face.

"This will hurt," he said.

"I don't mind," David said. "I know you don't mean it."

"But I do," Alec said, and pushed inside him. "That's the thing. I do mean it."

In the morning David woke up when Alec stirred, rolled over sleepily and watched Alec get up and pull his shirt over his head. He stretched, then winced, and Alec put a hand on his hip, smoothing his fingers across David's skin. "I'll see you tonight," he said quietly. David smiled at him and Alec, after a moment, smiled back.

***

David spent his days talking to Gladys, visiting the square, walking across the city. He liked its neatly cobbled streets, the signs hanging from the shops, the way the King's chapel bells sounded when they chimed midday. At night when Alec came back from the mines he'd take off his coat and then wash his hands, flashing a quick grin at David as he rubbed salve into them. Everything was exactly how it had been.

Except that it wasn't. Now Alec would pull him close, kiss him. Sometimes in the morning, a whispering of his mouth against the curve of David's lips before he left, and always at night, a strange little surprised smile on his face when he returned from the mines. Sometimes they'd end up leaving dinner to grow cold. Sometimes they didn't eat dinner at all.

And now when David wanted to touch Alec he could and did. He'd never been able to do anything like that, had never been able to reach out and run his fingers along someone's skin, never had anyone turn to him when he did and smile. All his life he'd been careful when he touched.

David had never been so happy and looking at Alec's face when he came back at night, the way his eyes lit up when David said his name, he thought that maybe Alec felt the same way, too.

One night Alec came in carrying a small box. "Here," he said gruffly, and handed it to him.

Inside was something round and gleaming creamy white, covered with a sprinkle of tiny sugared berries.

"What is it?" David said.

Alec looked at him strangely. "A cake." He took the box out of David's hand and put it on the table.

"It's pretty. Do you want something to eat?"

"You've never had cake?"

David shook his head. Alec leaned over and cupped his jaw with one hand, staring at him with gentle eyes. He looked like he wanted to say something but in the end he didn't, just pulled away and got a knife, cut a small piece and passed it to him, a smile on his face.

After his first bite, David kissed him.

"I'll bring home cookies tomorrow," Alec said.

A few days later Alec came home very early from the mines, returning when the sun had just taken over the sky. David was still in bed.

"So now I know what you really do all day," he heard and rolled over to see Alec smiling at him.

"I must be dreaming," he said and touched Alec's face.

Alec snorted and said, "Some dream," but kissed the inside of his palm before gently tugging him up.

"Get dressed," he said. "We're going to a fair."

"A fair?"

"It's--never mind. There'll be cake there."

David grabbed his pants.

Everyone they passed on the streets was smiling, happy. "Holiday," Alec told him as they walked. "King's celebrating something."

"What?"

Alec shrugged and didn't look at him when he said, "A peace signing."

"With who?" David said, and then Alec looked at him, dark eyes solemn.

"Prince and Princess of a land you know," he said and paused for a moment before adding,

"They rule it now."

"Oh," David said and a breeze swirled around them. "Then my--my father is…he's…" He'd never known him, could barely picture him, but still. He was gone. The people walking in front of them shivered, said they wished for warmer coats.

"Hey," Alec said, and took his hand. David waited for him to let go but he didn't. After forty steps David linked his fingers tightly through Alec's, so he would know he was still holding him.

Alec didn't let go.

The fair was enormous. David had seen lots of people before--the castle had been full of them--