Work Text:
“I love you.”
The silence following that statement was deafening. The cheerful camaraderie from a minute ago vanished into thin air. That was it?
“I know.”
Of course he did. How could he not?
They had been dancing around this thing between them for years, neither of them brave enough to address it. But it was there and it was real and it was-
And it was impossible.
A man and another man. A noble and a peasant. A king and a sorcerer.
It could never be.
And yet.
I love you.
That was it.
The culmination of years of pining. Stolen glances across the room, touches lingering just a slight bit too long, drinks shared, grins exchanged, words murmured into the night. All of it led to this.
On the floor, staring into the fire because there was nothing else to do. Drinks finished, mood too somber for a grin, and no more words left to be spoken.
I love you.
I know.
That was it.
Their destinies weighed heavy on their shoulders, pushing them deep into the ground. Far enough that they staggered under the strain.
It could never be.
They would ignore it come tomorrow.
Continue on, in this strange dance of theirs. Forever. For eternity. Orbiting around each other, never wanting to leave, never free enough to draw close and grasp the one thing that kept them from drifting off.
The words had been uttered. Released into the air and unable to be unspoken. Quietly acknowledged by two men who, despite all their power, were helpless to change anything.
I love you.
I know.
That was it.
It would never be.