Second (History Plays, Book 1)

8: it shall suffice me to enjoy your love

Edward

We race through the rain back to the dorm, hands and hearts hopelessly intertwined. I keep my fingers tangled in his till the last moment when we burst through the doors, damp and giddy with kisses.
Mr. Ambrose glares at us a bit as we sign in, then grunts as we bid him goodnight. Most everyone in the dorms is relaxing with doors open, only a few are closed up asleep, music and soft blue and amber lights pour into the hall, and I dare take Gaveston's hand again as we slip back to our room.
"Oh, I'm glad you're friends now," Teddy says, as we collapse against each other and the door, simply enjoying entwining our legs an arms as we giggle with pure ecstasy, as though our walk back was our only trial and now we are free and undiscovered with our glorious secret love.
"Yes, we're friends again," Gaveston laughs, bending his head into my side, that glorious silver and gold streaked hair wet on my shirt.
"We never were not," I say, hugging him, "Teddy's cool, Gaveston, I promise. Our secret is safer with him than ourselves, I would think."
"Secret?" Teddy frowns.
"We weren't just friends, when we knew each other, before," Gaveston says, going to strip off his now soaking shirt and find other clothes, having not showered. That completely distracts me for a solid moment, and he throws the the wet shirt at me to make me keep functioning, during which times Teddy figures it out.
"Yeah, he's the delightful way I found out what team I bat for," I say, grinning a little as I put Gaveston's shirt to my face. Teddy has always known I'm gay, and that Isabella and I have a business relationship.
"Why didn't you two tell me?" Teddy asks, frowning.
"We are, this is us telling you," Gaveston says. We fill him in on how we last parted, and why we were at odds. In doing so we also work out what we suppose happened, which is someone on the team discovered the kiss then and got him removed. And my parents of course, denied any blame on my part and let Gaveston take the fall as it were. By the time we're done, it's nearly lights out. Gaveston goes to take a shower and change for bed, while I tie up any last details Teddy questions me on.
"What if they find out again?" Teddy asks, twisting his hands.
"I'm not leaving you," I say.
"I"m not worried about me! I'm worried about you, and what he said happened to him," Teddy glances at the bathroom door. Gaveston gave us the bare minimum details of how is parents reacted and the various 'therapies' they sent him to. I gather it was something like completely horrific, and that's just from what he's briefly told us.
"I would rather be discovered, and killed, than not love him at all. This is us, I'm talking about, we don't compromise who we are," I say, reaching out to take his hand.
"We do though—," Teddy is saying as Gaveston comes out.
"We do what?" Gaveston asks, dropping onto his bed lazily. Lean and rife with muscles, he's clad in just track pants, bare feet brushing the cold floor idly as he drapes himself across the end of the bed.
"We do compromise who we are," Teddy says, "We have to hide."
"Yeah, but not forever," I say.
"You believe that?" Gaveston asks, misty green eyes on me now, "You believe someday we won't be hiding and running and pretending for the sake of them?"
"I do, or we'll make it so, somehow, I don't know how yet," I say, shaking my head. "I just know that I love, both of you, and I won't let anyone change that or tell me it's wrong."
Teddy comes over and hugs me.
"Hey, you've got a new dad now," I say, hugging him.
"I prefer cool uncle? No, okay, fine, yes, I'm also now your dad," Gaveston says, slithering under a blanket, shivering.
"Good," Teddy says, going back to his bed.
"Lights out in like two minutes," I say, picking my extra comforter and draping it over Gaveston.
"That's yours, keep it, you might—"
"All that I am, and all that you ask of me, is yours," I say, kissing his forehead.
"I am richer than Cesear, by having your love," he says, smiling at me. For me. I stroke his cheek before going to turn off the light.
"Get some sleep," I say, poking Teddy one more time.
"Night, now," Teddy says, snuggling in under a pile of blankets.
We all sleep soundly, I think. I pass out before I even know I've lain down, and my alarm goes off far too early. Gaveston and I grumble and swear at it, while Teddy slinks off to go and get changed. This time Gaveston also slept in his work out things so he too is ready to just throw on a t-shirt and stagger to the door.
We part at the sporting complex, with Teddy and Gaveston going to join the fencers, and I to join the hockey team. Practice is productive, if quick. I feel like I'm walking on air and none of this is real. We change in the dorm room, hastily. I'm the only one accustomed to tying a tie, it would seem, and I fix both of theirs before we head down to breakfast. I feel like my euphoria must be painted across my face. I don't dare hold Gaveston's hand or touch him, but we bump shoulders in line and eventually I give in and sneak a hand into his coat pocket, making a grin creep across his face.
And apparently it is painted on my face, because Clare takes one look at us and says "Oh thank god."
"Does she—?" Gaveston asks.
"Yes apparently," I say, "She knows about me."
"Right," he nods, as we sit down to eat. "That it for your trusted confidants?"
"Yeah, no, it's just her and Teddy—,"
"Izzy—?"
"Not a clue."
"Right."