Page 20 of To Bind and Break

Hadrian opened his mouth to say something—preferably something just as wonderfully romantic—and promptly broke down instead. He couldn’t hold it in any longer. It was all too much. Dorian held him tight as he sobbed uncontrollably against his chest.

Suddenly, Hadrian’s whole world was changed. As much as he had dreamed of an end to the war, he was completely unprepared for what it would actually feel like to live it. It was almost as terrifying as it was exhilarating.

And not only was he free for the first time in his life—free to live a life he wanted—he had someone else to live that life with. Someone so perfect it made his head spin to think about.

“Are you…” Dorian hesitated, his hands stilling on his back. “Do you want to stay here? I didn’t mean to assume. You can go home too. To the capital. I don’t know if they would let me—”

Hadrian shook his head against his chest. He was desperate to tell Dorian how much he wanted to stay—how perfect this life he proposed sounded—but he couldn’t stop crying.

“I…” he hiccuped in between sobs. “I love you, Dorian.”

Dorian pulled him closer and kissed his head. That just made him cry harder.

“Hey!”

Hadrian jumped at the deep, unfamiliar voice behind him and turned to find a tall, broad woman standing at the bottom of the steps, staring at him as if he was not standing there a slobbering mess in someone’s arms.

“Is this place yours or—”

“Yes,” Dorian snapped. “It is. Go away.”

“Alright. Shit. Don’t get all touchy.” She huffed and walked down the path, muttering.

“What?” Dorian asked. Hadrian had started to laugh against his chest.

He sniffed and looked at him. “You’re going to be the cranky old farmer who yells at kids for stealing his cabbages.”

Dorian looked out over the fields and then back at Hadrian. “Yes, probably. But not cabbages. The ground this far north is too wet for them.”

“Really?”

“Mmh. Gourds and Capes is what should be in the ground right now. We’re already a couple weeks late planting by the way. We have a lot of work to do.”

Hadrian beamed up at him. “I didn’t know that.”

“Which is exactly why you need me around. Can’t do everything with that fancy magic of yours.”

Hadrian laid his head against Dorian’s shoulder and sighed. “I need you for so much more than that.”

“We should put some work into the house too, before winter,” Dorian said, turning them back toward the door. “So we don’t freeze.”

“Do you think we could get a new bed?” Hadrian asked.

“Yes. I don’t imagine the one we have now will last through the night.” Dorian turned and gave him a look thatnearly melted him on the spot before taking his hand and leading them back into the house.

“Do you think we should put up a sign or something?” Hadrian asked when they made it inside. “So people know we—oh, gods, Dorian.”

“Don’t worry. I think they’ll get the hint.”