Some Adventures and Backgrounds

You're the Music of My Heart

Shadows danced across the walls of the dark room, the only light provided by the crackling flames in the fireplace. Two figures, huddled together under a thick blanket, were the only signs of life in the seemingly lonely cabin.

With his toned arms wrapped around the torso of the slightly smaller boy, Cain kept his chin pressed against the top of Oswin's head of shaggy dark hair. His blue eyes focused on the other's shallow breathing and the way his chest rose and fell as he relaxed in the warmth of the fire and Cain's embrace. Oswin looked so...peaceful.

And to think, only a few hours before this, he could have lost something, someone, so special.

But now they were both safe. Both warm and away from the icy depths of that frozen lake that had cracked under Oswin's feet in a matter of seconds.

So long as Oswin was okay, Cain knew he could be, too.

A small shift in Oswin's position stirred Cain from his thoughts and his gaze focused on the other boy's face. His eyebrows had knit together in discomfort and his body turned, eyes slowly opening and gazing up at Cain's face illuminated by the firelight.

The reflection of the flames flickered in his cerulean eyes and the light bounced off his hair, making the now curly red strands match the fire in front of them. There was a softness to Cain's expression, a fondness in the way that he now looked at Oswin, that the darker-haired boy had never seen before.

He silently prayed that Cain could look like that forever.

"How are you feeling? I hope I didn't startle you, mo chroí."

And there it was. A voice so soft and sincere and the Irish accent that followed it that pulled at Oswin's heart in a way words could not accurately describe, but perhaps one word could.

And when Cain saw the way Oswin looked up at him in that brief moment, he felt it, too.

Yearning.

"I'm... I'm alright. A little tired, but I think I'll be okay." Oswin sighed, resting his head against Cain's shoulder, overly aware of every move he made.

Cain wrapped the blanket further around Oswin and pulled him close to his chest. "You can rest some more. I'll be here when you wake up."

Oswin did not put up much of a fight. He placed a hand against Cain's chest and closed his eyes once more before drifting off to sleep, a faint smile on his face as some of it regained its color.

Cain listened to the sound of Oswin breathing and reached forward, gently pushing Oswin's hair from his face. Hesitating for a moment, Cain moved his head down and planted a kiss on Oswin's head, whispering quietly.

"Is ceol mo chroí thú."