Champagne Coast
Theo found him easily. He always did.
“You’ve got a habit of running away,” Theo murmured, stepping beside him. His voice was smooth, quiet, comforting - like the soft lull of a song his mother sang to get him to sleep. He was so young then. He closed his eyes. Everything seemed like such a lifetime ago.
Draco didn’t look at him. “And you have a poor habit of following me around.”
Theo chuckled low in his throat, and the sound curled around Draco, warming him in safety as it went. The electricity between them was buzzing just like it always had.
“We could leave you know,” he breathed after a moment, his gaze fixed on the evening sun glistening over the Black Lake. “We could get out of all this.”
Draco still couldn’t look at Theo, it would hurt too much. “And where would we go?”
He noticed Theo shift beside him. “Not sure yet. But somewhere warm. Somewhere where names don’t matter.”
Theo turned to him and waited, forcing Draco to return his gaze. “Use your habit and run away with me, Draco.” Theo reached for his hand, gripping it tightly, and ran a thumb over his knuckles.
“When?” Draco croaked, his grey meeting Theo’s piercing blue. Words were getting harder and harder to get out.
Theo sighed. “I don’t think there will be a perfect time. But as I said, I’ll be waiting.”
The thought was intoxicating. No looking over their shoulders. No past dragging at their heels. They could be free… and just… live.