And 18. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” - GerEng
For @hrharthurkirkland. This might be the most unabashedly fluffy thing I have ever written ;; but it is the sappy prompt soooo I’m not sorry about it. I hope you like it!
Though Arthur would never admit it aloud, hell he hardly dared admit it to himself, this warmth had become an integral part of his life.
He lay here, practically surrounded on every side, not a sound in the room save for the steady tick of the clock, and the slow, heavy breathing of the room’s various occupants. At his feet, Aster shifted in her sleep, a soft grunt as she lay her snout on his leg. Slowly, carefully, he stretched his arm down to scratch her head, relishing in the coarse fur that caught under his fingernails.
It hadn’t taken long for Ludwig’s dogs to worm their way into his heart, cracking it open and making themselves rather comfortable. He had never been around dogs too much, always preferring feline companionship and the mischievous fae folk. And yet, how quickly he had become accustomed to his bed piled with drooling, snuffling dogs, taking up every crevice and making him wake up every morning drenched in sweat. The times where he slept alone, he slept badly, craving the ever present warmth, that cozy feeling he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
Beside him, the bright moonlight highlighted Ludwig’s face, his hand curled around Arthur’s wrist; a last vestige of their earlier cuddle. Arthur contented himself with gazing sleepily at the man, eyes drifting from the unusually messy hair to the sharpness of his jaw. Sleep washed away Ludwig’s sternness, smoothing the worry lines and softening that young face. Unable to help himself, Arthur ghosted his finger across the high cheekbones, his skin impossibly smooth.
“Arthur,” and Arthur couldn’t help but smile, shifting closer. Ludwig did this sometimes; murmuring in his sleep, accent delightfully thickened. Sometimes, Arthur even wrote down what was said, keeping it securely locked away from prying eyes, bringing it out when the world grew cold and dark.
“Hm?” A content sigh escaped, a small smile playing on Ludwig’s lips.
“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Arthur froze, eyes widening as he stared at this man, this man who had unthinkably changed everything he had ever known. Arthur did not think much on his looks, those deep insecurities he never allowed to see the light of day. He was too thin, too pale, his eyebrows a constant source of ridicule and exclusion. He never allowed this weakness to be shown, chiding others like Francis who were obsessed with their vanity. He channeled all that self-consciousness into making sure he was powerful and revered, so that no soul could ever guess the tendrils of self-doubt wrapped around his heart.
Ludwig was beautiful. It was undeniable. He seemed shaped from the gods, perfection rooted in every curve. And while Ludwig thankfully cared little for his appearance aside from fitness, a dark little voice always whispered in the back of Arthur’s head that he could never compare, never measure up.
Warmth exploded, rushing from his chest up to his cheeks, stinging his eyes and making his throat constricted. Arthur was glad Ludwig wasn’t awake to witness this moment of weakness, of absolute gratitude. He pressed their foreheads together in silent thanks, breathing in the faint scent of his aftershave.
Affection, even now, was fumbling at times. Heartfelt words rarely spoken unless truly needed, or unless truly inebriated. Neither one needed to hear slavishly devoted confessions of admiration; they knew in their hearts what was true and dear.
But, to hear it expressed so openly, with such sincerity and tenderness, well Arthur was only human.
He took pains to lock this moment away in his memories, of the moonlight and the rough fur brushed against his spindly legs, and the way Ludwig looked as he dreamed of Arthur.
And when Ludwig awoke the next morning, he had no memory of his nightly ramblings. But, he did not miss that a small smile had replaced Arthur’s usual morning scowl, or the way that pale hand reached out and clasped his own, the warm sun making every highlight of green stand out in his eyes.
And Ludwig would think to himself, though he couldn’t quite bring himself to say it aloud, that Arthur indeed, was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.