skinny dipping with Athelstan

[wanderingsin]

From here

He holds Athelstan close and warm, kissing his kisses light. "Oh yes, I completely believe in fate. All things happen in their own time and for their own reasons. And some thing are just meant to be."

Comments

[wanderingsin]

"Do you mind if I ask what happened?" He answers softly, giving Athelstan plenty of leeway to say no.

[athelstanthescribe]

"A lot of yelling. My aunt cried. But - this might sound weird, but - " A rueful smile. "I think it really was them worrying for me."

[wanderingsin]

"I suppose their idea of your safety clashes with running away with a hairy biker?" He keeps rubbing Athelstan's back. "But it is good to know they care for you."

[athelstanthescribe]

He nods. "They always have. When I came to live with them I wouldn't talk - I mean at all, not one word for months - and they were so patient. And even the other stuff, later, it was never done to be cruel. I know it wasn't right, but it wasn't wrong like that."

[wanderingsin]

"We come to accept as normal that which is all we know." Sin frown, aware of his own history of accepted abuse. "I hope they're not trying to stop you living your new life? Even if they can't understand it."

[athelstanthescribe]

"They tried to talk me out of it", he admits. "But Ragnar was right there."

[wanderingsin]

"Oh gods! How did that go down? I can almost imagine Ragnar digging his nails into his palms to keep from losing his temper."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Pretty much", he agrees. "I think it helped he knew I didn't want him to."

[wanderingsin]

"He loves you." Sin states softly, brushing Athelstan's hair back from his face. That's all that matters.

[athelstanthescribe]

"He does. And he gives me strength."

Or helps him find what was already there.

[wanderingsin]

Sin plays with Athelstan's curls. "You're stronger than you think, gorgeous."

[athelstanthescribe]

They're drying rapidly in the sun, but sticking up in all directions.

"Do you think so?"

[wanderingsin]

"Beautiful Athelstan. I know so. I see it in your eyes."

[athelstanthescribe]

"And what else do you see?" he asks in a near whisper, looking up into Sin's eyes.

[wanderingsin]

"Compassion. Kindness." He leans in to kiss the corner of Athelstan's lips. "A yearning to know and do more. Self-doubt tempered with hope. So many things I see in your eyes, beautiful Athelstan. So much."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Then you're very good at seeing." He returns the kiss with one of his own, brief and almost chaste. "I feel like a little kid sometimes, compared to you and Ragnar."

[wanderingsin]

Sin stokes his back softly. "Hardly, beautiful Athelstan. You're not kid, just someone at the beginning of your journey."

[athelstanthescribe]

"It's just you've both seen so much more than me", he tries to clarify.

[wanderingsin]

"Which puts us in an ideal position to act as guides to help you find your way."

He kisses Athelstan again and slips back into the water, splashing like a mermaid.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan watches him go without following, not quite satisfied - but the dissatisfaction is with himself and what he can bring to the relationships, not with Sin.

[wanderingsin]

Sin swims around before popping back up, his hair streaming. "Talk to me, beautiful? What's bothering you?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"I - " He swipes his fingers down the wet sides of the rock, then again. "What if I hold him back?"

[wanderingsin]

"From what?" He asks gently, leaning on the rock with folded arms.

[athelstanthescribe]

"From life. From being all of who he is."

[wanderingsin]

"Darling, loving you making him happier that I've seen him in all the time I've known him. Who he is, is changing, just as it is for all of us. Showing you the wonders of a bigger world in not keeping him from life, it's opening a new view on life."