Alaric's lips tugged up into a genuine smile, and he nodded.
"Lucius, put that thing away and eat," Alaric said, and Lucius looked up. Here,"
Julian watched Alaric tear off a piece of the bread and hand it to Lucius, who dipped it into his broth with excitement.
It seemed like he had been waiting to eat the broth, but was too busy scribbling whatever he was scribbling.
Julian watched Alaric pat the boy's cheek and brush off the crumb on the side of his mouth.
For a moment, the image was so perfect it hurt. It felt like a family. It was a family.
He was thinking. Could this be… his family as well?
He was already the Duke's lover, and the Duke had said it over and over that he loved him, but what had he shown forth to the devoted Duke?
What had he offered?
Even just admitting that he loved the Duke didn't feel enough. He wanted the Duke to feel it.
